digital tools and references
Capability: The ToleranceCalc 4.0 wizard performs in-process linear
and angular stack-up and Six Sigma quality analysis on CAD parts or assemblies.
The application gives CAD users answers to two questions at any stage
of the design process. Will parts and assemblies perform as expected when
the tolerances stack up? And can they be manufactured cost-effectively
to meet quality goals?
Hardware: PC running Windows 95, 98, 2000, NT, or XP.
Developer: Geomate Co., 3474 Nova Scotia Ave., San Jose, CA 95124;
(408) 371-6095; fax (408) 371-4251; www.graficalc.com.
Cost: $145.
Folding and Unfolding
Capability: The 3-D modeling program TouchCAD 3.5.0 is used to model parts that unfold, such as blimps, balloons, sails, retractable roofs, or sheet-metal parts. The application links the 3-D model to the unfolded parts, which cuts the time spent converting digital 3-D designs into part designs that can be fabricated. You can optimize the unfolded part designs to fit the given material dimensions. They can also be nested, dragged, or rotated to maximize the use of material. The link to the 3-D model isn't lost during this process.
Hardware: PC running Windows 2000 or XP or Macintosh OS X.
Developer: Lundström Design, Ekhagsvägen 7, 104 05
Stockholm, Sweden; (46-8) 15-46-63, ludesign@algonet.se; www.touchcad.com.
Cost: $795.
Click here to obtain information on this product
Capability: The NEiNastran V9.0 solver automatically
recognizes contact areas and generates surface contact or weld elements,
saving significant time during model setup of analytical tools. The program
contains a fully automated interface to handle surface contact and weld
element generation in assembly models. Previously, users had to specify
which surfaces were in contact, which could be time-consuming for models
with many contact surfaces. V9.0 adds a single command interface to specify
the type of contact (general, welded, bidirectional sliding, or rough).
Welded contact allows users to move parts around in their model without
having to redefine anything.
Hardware: PC running Windows, Linux, and Unix in stand-alone and networked configurations.
Developers: Noran Engineering Inc., 5555 Garden Grove Blvd.,
Suite 300, Westminster, CA 92683-1886; (714) 899-1220; fax (714) 899-1369;
e-mail: info@noraneng.com.
Cost: $1,500 to start.
CAD for Mac
Capability: The computer-aided design program TurboCAD
3D for the Macintosh operating system X combines two-dimensional drafting
with 3-D modeling. Features include Boolean functions, shell, fillet,
extrude, sweep, and lathe. A symbol library includes more than 11,000
2-D and 3-D parts in various categories. The application also supports
many import and export file formats, including Autodesk drawing, Pro/Engineer,
Catia version 4, and Rhino.
Hardware: PC running Macintosh OS 10.2 and later.
Developer: International Microcomputers Software Inc., 75 Rowland Way, Suite 340, Novato, CA 94945; (415) 878-4000; fax (415) 897-2544; www.turbocad.com.
Cost: $495.
Physics in Tandem
Capability: The scientific modeling package Comsol Multiphysics
version 3.2 now reads geometry files created within all major CAD packages.
The application is used to model and simulate any physics-based system.
It simultaneously models interdependent, coupled physics, known as multiphysics.
A moving-mesh feature creates a model to simulate moving parts and parametric
geometries. Solvers, improved in this version, can handle models that
include millions of degrees of freedom and can calculate answers faster
than in past versions. This version introduces Comsol Script, a stand-alone
product that can be integrated with the multiphysics package for command-line
modeling. Specialized CAD import modules and Comsol Script are sold separately.
Hardware: PC running Windows 98, NT 4.0, XP; Macintosh OS X; Linux; or Solaris.
Developer: Comsol, 8 New England Executive Park, Suite 310, Burlington, MA 01803; (781) 273-3322; fax (781) 273-6603; info@comsol.com; www.comsol.com.
Cost: Comsol Multiphysics, $6,995; Comsol Script, $995; specialized CAD import modules start at $1,995.
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