digital tools and references
Expert Mold Designer Capability: MoldDesign generates mold-base designs directly from three-dimensional solid-model parts, automating the process of designing plastic and high-pressure aluminum injection molds. The mold-design generator works within the MicroStation Modeler CAD program from Bentley Systems.

MoldDesign automates the process of creating mold plates and components as well as detailing slots and holes. The program uses rule-based technology and parametric libraries to generate detailed solid models of the mold from the original part. Engineers choose from a catalog of components (such as plates, leader pins, bushings, and ejectors) to be used by the program in generating an injection mold base.

Simplified tools for the design of mold-cooling systems and the generation of a bill of materials (including all plates, inserts, component information, dimensions, and catalog numbers) are also provided.

Hardware: IBM-compatible PC or Digital Equipment Corp. Alpha platform operating in Windows 95 or Windows NT

Developer: Bentley Systems Inc., 690 Pennsylvania Dr., Exton, PA 19341; (800) 236-8539; fax (610) 458-1060; World Wide Web www.bentley.com

Cost:$2,950 for Bentley SELECT subscribers
Self-Healing CAD When a chamfer or fillet is deleted from this solid engine, CADKEY 97 automatically "heals" the underlying geometry to form a sharp edge

Capability: CADKEY 97 release 2 is a two- and three-dimensional PC-based CAD program for mechanical design, drafting, conceptual sketching, reverse engineering, tolerance inspection, rapid prototyping, and manufacturing applications. Improvements to the core solid modeler include new creation tools, such as offset wall shelling and the ability to "punch" a 2-D profile through a solid, add draft angles to solid faces, project a solid face onto another solid face, and extrude multiple closed profiles. Cross-sectional views from solid models can be automatically generated for drawing layouts and documentation.

A variety of enhancements also aid in the free-form editing of models. A new Remove feature, for example, enables users to delete a chamfer or fillet simply by selecting it; underlying geometry automatically "heals" to form a sharp edge.Other new features include support for WinTab tablets, which enables users to assign CADKEY functions to a tablet overlay and digitize existing paper drawings; a quick-pick Pattern dialog box for setting options and importing patterns; a Views switch to list only predefined or user-defined views; and a dimension-checking capability that notifies the user if a dimension has become disassociated from the underlying 3-D model. Geometric entities and associated dimensions can be tagged to a view instance in a drawing.

An option in CADKEY 97 release 2 is RenderWare software for solid shading and dynamic rotation of shaded models. The CAD program supports Virtual Reality Modeling Language (VRML) output for design collaboration over the World Wide Web. Translators are included for ACIS-SAT, AutoCAD release 13, CADL, DXF, DWG, and IGES data. The program can also convert 3-D wire-frame geometry to VRML models.

Hardware: IBM-compatible Pentium PC operating in Windows 95 or Windows NT

Developer: Baystate Technologies, 33 Boston Post Rd. W., Marlborough, MA 01752; (508) 229-2020; fax (508) 229-2121; e-mail baystate@baystate.com; World Wide Web www.cadkey.com

Cost: $1,995
Client/Server Calculations Capability: PC Macsyma 2.3 symbolic/numerical math software contains a host of improvements, including a stochastic mathematics package, improved special functions, enhanced tensor-analysis capabilities (including tensor variational derivatives), new polynomial approximation routines, and two- and three-dimensional fast-Fourier-transform routines. PC Macsyma has 100 new template buttons and many type-in templates for easier access to the full range of program commands.

The latest versions of the program can also plot direction fields and phase plots for ordinary differential equations, histograms, data with error bars, and many standard 3-D geometric figures. The program offers more than a dozen new predefined graphics styles.

When set up as a PC client running PC Macsyma via a server, Unix Macsyma provides additional features from the PC version of the program, including re-executable scientific notebooks with animated graphics, extensive text and graphics editing, and preformatted text and graphics styles. Such a setup supports DataViewer sections for numerical data tables, a Navigator dialogue box with an active table of contents, and numerous hypertext links. The PC client can also provide access to Macsyma"s NumKit package, which speeds up most large numerical matrix operations, and to the MathTips Advisor.

Hardware: IBM-compatible PC operating in Windows 3.1, Windows 95, or Windows NT. Novell networks, OS/2 Warp version 4, and Macintosh Power PC platforms running Softwindows 95 are also supported

Developer: Macsyma Inc., 20 Academy St., Arlington, MA 02174; (617) 646-4550; fax (617) 646-3161; World Wide Web www.macsyma.com

Cost: $349 to $499
Integrated Machining Capability: Virtual Manufacturing Suite is a family of programs that use solid models to simulate numerically controlled (NC) machine tools and machining processes. The programs, which can be used separately or as part of an integrated package, help engineers reduce manufacturing cycles and improve the quality of machined parts by providing the ability to detect errors and eliminate waste.

The suite comprises four modules: NC Verify, to verify the material-removal process using a solid model of the part; Machine Simulator, which animates the entire NC machine to detect collisions; Virtual Controller, a universal reverse postprocessor that simulates NC machine controllers and their functioning; and NC Optimizer, which analyzes NC tool paths to reduce manufacturing cycle times (by an average of 25 to 50 percent, according to the vendor).

NC Verify supports three- to five-axis milling, two- to four-axis turning, mill turns, wire electrical-discharge machining, and laser- and water-jet-cutting operations. The module compares part models as designed and as machined, then reports the differences to the user. Standard and form tools, holders, and fixture assemblies are supported.

Machine Simulator can detect collisions between all machine components, including the spindle, head, turret, pallet, table, fixtures, columns, machine axes, and tool changers. Its smooth animation and presentation capabilities can be used to create training and other presentations.

Virtual Controller has a standard library of approximately 100 plug-and-play NC controllers that simulate NC G&M code programs. The program supports standard controller libraries; existing libraries can be modified.

NC Optimizer adjusts the feeds and speeds of tool motions. It analyzes the depth and width of cuts, the volume of material removed, and tool and workpiece materials (to optimize feeds and speeds). The program supports user-defined or commercial feed-and-speed tables.

Hardware: IBM-compatible PC operating in Windows 95 or Windows NT; workstation by IBM or Silicon Graphics operating in Unix

Developer: Sirius Systems Corp., 3150 Almaden Expressway, Suite 112, San Jose, CA 95118; (408) 723-6510; fax (408) 269-8218; e-mail sales@siriussys.com; World Wide Web www.siriussys.com

Cost: $499 to $5,999
Personal CAD Capability: Vdraft Personal Edition is an AutoCAD-compatible CAD program for home or personal use. Vdraft Personal Edition provides a simple, inexpensive means of viewing, editing, and creating AutoCAD drawings. The program limits users to editing no more than five drawings at a time; all other functions provided in the commercial release of Vdraft are supported. The program reads and writes AutoCAD drawings, ASCII DXF and binary DXF formats for AutoCAD from versions 2.5 through 12. Releases 13 and 14 are supported via the format for release 12.

Hardware: IBM-compatible PC operating in Windows

Developer: SoftSource, 301 W. Holly St., Bellingham, WA 98225; (800) 877-1875; fax (360) 671-1131; e-mail softsales@softsource.com; World Wide Web www.vdraft.com

Cost: $95
Engineering Graphics Ready for Publication Capability: DF_Contour generates publication-ready graphs and contours from numerical and experimental data. It can be used to represent and analyze the results of experiments or computational simulations. It produces color graphic representations of various data types, including vector and scalar fields, shapes, curves, and markers; screen animations of a succession of color maps can also be generated.

DF_Contour recognizes user-generated ASCII file formats. A one-word descriptor is required at the beginning of each data set. Other features include the ability to view up to 16 data sets or graphs simultaneously, to display sets of data on a page or screen in rows and columns, print results as displayed on screen, modify graph properties with a point-and-click interface, select color palettes on the fly, modify scales at any time, generate vector and scalar color-contour plots, and plot in vector mode.

Hardware: IBM-compatible PC operating in Windows 95 or Windows NT

Developer: Dynaflow Inc., 7210 Pindell School Rd., Fulton, MD 20759; (301) 604-3688; fax (301) 604-3689; e-mail info@dynaflow-inc.com

Cost: $65, single-user version.


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