|
upFront.eZine |
|
|
a
publication from |
|
|
Issue #531 : : September 25, 2007 |
|
|
In this issue: - Single Scene
Models and Rendered Scenes
Readers React: Out of the Inbox, plus the other regular columns . |
Write the editor. Make him smile. Through Paypal, consider donating $25 in support of upFront.eZine. Or else. We're trendy. We have a Weblog. WorldCAD Access. |
|
|
|
|
Cary O'Conner took me on a preview tour of IronCAD v10, due to be released a month from now. He's the company's director of marketing. IronCAD is somewhat unique in the industry in that it supports ACIS and ParaSolid, as well as history-based parametric and freeform 3D modeling. Why two kernels? Behind the scenes, IronCAD sees which of the two is better at particular editing functions, and then applies either ACIS or ParaSolid solutions. Having both kernels makes translation to and from other CAD packages easier. An emphasis in the new v10 is on speed. IronCAD added the HOOPS graphics library, which gives a 10x performance boost in realtime 3D rotation, support for Direct3D, 3D PDF exports, and "quick views." Quick views uses HOOPS to create raster simulations of projected geometry -- monochrome or shaded. This is meant for generating initial 2D views of large assemblies, and for sending data-free drawings to suppliers -- a form of security. IronCAD v10 loads very large drawing files visually. Mr O'Conner opened for me a 4,000-part model in a couple of seconds; in the background, IronCAD keeps loading the model data, whose progress is shown by a bar graph on the status bar. Multithreading is used on multi-processor computers for loading models and performing renderings in the background. Another speed-up is to display annotations as bounding boxes during pans and zooms.
Single Scene Models and Rendered Scenes The "single scene model" is, I believe, a feature unique to IronCAD. This is where all part files are contained in the assembly file (an .ics file, actually), rather than having a separate file for each part. While you can extract parts to individual files, the scene approach solves the problem of dealing with clients who send dozens of drawings with hundreds of part files. You can also link .ics scene files to one another, so that two or more appear in a single model, kind of like external referencing. Another advantage is that there is no need to switch between part and assembly modeling; it's all done in one environment. IronCAD v10 has some of the nicest rendering features I've ever seen, such a DOF (depth of field) where you define the foreground and background as blurry. There's a new area light that simulates fluorescent office panels, and new volumetric lighting for simulating spotlights shining through fog. The new caustic lighting simulates light bounced off curved surfaces, such as the edge of a cup or through waves onto the bottom of a pool. Despite the many new light sources, you don't even need lights to light up scenes of 3D models. The new HDR (high dynamic range) feature means that the light and shadow areas from background images generate lights and reflections. It reminds me of ads for cars, whose bodies reflect the sunset or cobblestone; now you can achieve that look with IronCAD.
IronCAD Labs and CAXA 2D “Like everyone else,” joked Mr O'Conner, his company is launching a Labs Web page; expect it in November. The first item will be CAXA 2D, (pronounced “casa”), available free for a year to current IronCAD license holders. Why just a year? It gives IronCAD time to see how users employ the software, which is designed to be AutoCAD-like in its user interface and file format. No, not IntelliCAD. It is a Chinese-developed MCAD-oriented package that includes gears, bolts, and the ability to exchange 2D and 3D drawings with IronCAD. CAXA 2D is the international version of CAXA EB, developed by China-based CAXA, IronCAD Corp's other half. CAXA is short for "computer-aided X alliance," where the X stands in for design, machining, and so on. The company also works with Dassault Systemes to provide many Catia add-ons for the Chinese market. Let the rumors begin: Dassault - CAXA - IronCAD... - - - IronCAD is US$3,495 with everything included; none of that pay-more-for-extras, as with other vendors. The lower-priced Innovate ($1,295) is meant for 3D conceptual design, and so leaves out sheetmetal, 2D, external links, and so on. After IronCAD v10s ship in late October, the company will work on Vista and 64-bit versions. As several other CAD vendors have found, Microsoft's poor support for OpenGL means that IronCAD needs time to be adapted for the proprietary Direct3D graphics system promoted in Vista. www.ironcad.com
Readers
React: "I found your grand unification piece interesting. Given the chance, the question I would ask Autodesk is how they expect to get clients who have been using Intergraph and Aveva for decades to switch to the new Autodesk [P&ID and 3D Piping] products. Some clients do not care which system is used, because they allow their EPC [engineering, procurement and construction] contractors to make the decision. However, for those who do care about the tool being used, it would require a large change on the part of the client to move to Autodesk. "Furthermore, as the next generation of plant design systems are truly data-centric, the actual drawing file format is nothing more than an afterthought. (So, why would someone care about having a system that can work in a single file format -- it really doesn't matter. "I have often referred to Intergraph as the 'Intergraph
heroin'. Once you start using it, you are hooked. Although you can
switch away, sometimes the cost doesn't justify doing it." The editor replies, "I think initially they plan to get AutoCAD users onto this new (more expensive) system. They reckon 10-20% of AutoCAD users do piping. Following that, I suppose they might present their Full Meal Deal to entice customers to move over. Or perhaps they've identified a segment of the market that isn't entrenched with Intergraph, et al." Mr Angelotti responds, "As for the full meal deal, Intergraph offers and 'all you can eat' pricing structure that basically allows a company to have enough seats of all of their software at a relatively affordable price. "As for identifying a segment of the market that's not entrenched, I haven't seen them. And I've been following this for many years. Besides, you think Intergraph will lay down and let Autodesk walk away with their customers? "The only way (IMHO) to threaten Intergraph is to offer superior technology. Not a better price -- better product." - - - "Just my opinion, Ralph, but Bentley already has this. Their
plant products are already more mature and in the market; their
civil is much better; the electrical and structural are probably
some of their strongest." - - - "I read with interest your article outlining Autodesk's strategy for the plant market. I also read with disappointment that you made no mention of Bentley and our leading position in the plant design industry. (According to Daratech we are as big as Intergraph, and bigger than Aveva in this market.) "We already have a 'complete system for designing plants that includes 3D plant piping and P&ID, mechanical design, structural design, electrical design, and civil design' based on the leading integrating platform MicroStation. In particular, this technology is widely used in the nuclear industry as it seamlessly integrates with plant with civil and building applications, and meets regulatory compliance needs. "We also have AutoPLANT which runs on AutoCAD (including
AutoCAD 2008) and is the number one plant design system -- by seat
count -- in the world. And of course MicroStation is the base platform
for PDS [plant design system], which is Intergraph's main plant
design product also used widely in the industry." The editor replies, "Bentley was not left out for any purpose; I picked the names of two established companies at random." - - - "Autodesk's 'unification plan'? Why don't they focus on
FIXING THE PROBLEMS AND INCONSISTENCIES IN THE CORE PROGRAM before
they look at fixing the GUI? I don't care what it looks like, as
long as it PERFORMS consistently and in a streamlined manner." SpaceClaim goes bi-di. It's hooked up with xPLM Solution so that SpaceClaim can bidirectionally xfer data with just about any PLM system. Price is US$500 per year for a 3-year term. www.xplm.com T-Splines releases T-Splines 1.0 for Rhinoceros 3D, making it easier to generate organic models with complex surfaces.15-day trial from www.tsplines.com ENOVIA MatrixOne ships PLM FastTrack for Apparel geared toward the apparel industry. www.matrixone.com/customersuccess/apparel.html MecSoft Corporation bundles Alibre Design Basic and Alibre CAM with its own MecSoft VisualMILL software for generating toolpaths and controlling cutting tools. www.mecsoft.com Creaform integrates its Handyscan Scanning Module into CATIA V5. This brings in 3D data that's been scanned with the Handyscan 3DT laser scanner. www.handyscan3d.com Bentley Systems updates AutoPIPE XM Edition with tight integration between piping and structural analysis, full interoperability with Caesar II program, backward compatibility with older versions, and expanded libraries. www.Bentley.com/AutoPIPE Delcam releases PowerMILL with new tool-axis editing that works on any region of toolpaths and redefines tool-axis vectors. www.delcam.com And DotSoft announces XL2CAD 5 (Excel to AutoCAD) with unprecedented speed: most sheet-sized tables now process in less than one second. As well, tables embedded in xrefs can be updated, and the entire computer scanned for drawings needing updates. www.dotsoft.com/xl2cad.htm - - - These news items were posted during the last week at the WorldCAD Access blog < worldcadaccess.typepad.com>:
And at the Gizmos Grabowski <worldcadaccess.typepad.com/gizmos/> Weblog:
Seminars & Conferences Bentley Plant User Group is Oct 3-5 Biloxi, Mississippi. www.beusergroup.com Shape to Fabrication 2 (for the Rhino-interested) is Oct 25 in London, England. www.simplyrhino.co.uk/about/shapetofabrication2.html Sixth Annual International Greening Rooftops for Sustainable Communities is Apr 30-May 2, 2008 in Baltimore MD USA. www.greenroofs.org/baltimore
Magazine/eZine/Weblog Updates CADCourse converts some of its movie-based tutorials in downloadable portable formats (smaller screen resolution). This means that you can view them on iPods, Palms, Sony PSPs, and other devices. The Palm will need appropriate viewing software. www.cadcourse.net
People/Companies on the Move Graphisoft says it'll cease support for its Macintosh Power PC version of ArchiCAD. "Considering the typical lifecycle of hardware today, we are convinced that with this plan there will be sufficient time for our users to upgrade to the new Intel Macintosh platform," says Viktor Varkonyi, vp of ArchiCAD development. COADE names Douglas W. Hanson as company controller.
WorthWhile Web http://www.paulcolligan.com/2007/09/18/is-the-future-of-all-software-and-content-free/
http://www.bbspot.com/News/2007/09/microsoft-reveals-windows-vista-sp1-will-install-xp.html
http://www.woot.com/Blog/BlogEntry.aspx?BlogEntryId=2929
Letters to the Editor "I don't know how relevant this anecdote might be, but your Letters to the Editor section made me think of it. Do you recall the popular 80s book, 'What Color is Your Parachute'? I have a more modern, software industry case: 'What Version is Your Parachute? "I worked at Visio in the late 90s when somebody in marketing (I suppose) had the novel idea of buying a parachute (para sail) for a recreation company that pulled people around Elliott Bay [near Seattle WA USA] on water skis. The para sail was clearly labeled 'Visio 2000'. "What they didn't count on is that para sails last probably
ten+ years, while a software release lasts 2-3 years max. I've since
seen that para sail in summer when it was five or more years obsolete.
A smarter marketing person would have made it just say 'Visio',
promoting the brand, not a specific product version." - - - Re: When Locking Turns on Its Masters "The PDES [Product Data Exchange using STEP] consortium has been working on the standards for STEP [STandard for the Exchange of Product model data] to allow long term data retention of CAD, product structure, and PLM data. Many of the member companies are using this in production. "In general, when you look at the type of data being created in the aerospace and defense industries, there are often federal guidelines specifying that the design data, intent, and configuration must be usable 40-50 years out. This is being addressed by PDES members and driven into the latest versions of the STEP standard. "Yep, the standard is still being updated on a regular basis."
Spin Doctor of the Moment "On my first day at Microsoft it took me 30 minutes just
to find the latch to open my laptop (though I did successfully find
the 'on' button pretty quickly). I think that's why my MBA at Kellogg
has played such a vital part in my career development."
Notable Quotable "These aren't [software as] services. It's another attempt
to fully realize the pay-forever model."
Thank You to Our Subscribers These great people support upFront.eZine through their contributions of $25 or more. Thank you, guys!
Copyright 2007 by upFront.eZine Publishing, Ltd. All rights reserved worldwide Article reprint fee US$250.0 and up.
All
trademarks belong to their respective holders.
"upFront.eZine," "Talking About CAD," and
"the business of CADg" are trademarks of
upFront.eZinePublishing, Ltd. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|