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Issue #595 : : March 10, 2009 |
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In this issue: Broadening the Adoption of CAE "No Engineer Left Behind"
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Broadening the Adoption of CAE
Venkatesh Chavaly raises an important point about emerging trends in the CAE business [upFront.eZine #593]. CAE [computer aided engineering] is moving in two diverging directions:
(1) At the Lower End Traditional CAD vendors who cater to smaller businesses are acquiring CAE vendors with the goal of selling simulation technology to CAD designers. This approach eases CAD users' access to CAE, but creates two problems. To get reliable results, users must learn the non-trivial intricacies of CAE. The other problem is that simulation may still occur as an afterthought. Good CAD users carefully plan their design intent. But to be properly optimized, designs must typically be de-featured and edited contrary to the existing constraints and features. In short, CAE in CAD does not necessarily promise simulation-driven product development.
(2) At the Higher End At the high end, analysis software tends to stay out of CAD. Teams are large enough that it makes practical sense to have specialists. CAE analysts work with their own tools and provide engineering services to the CAD team and to other engineering groups. They avoid CAD because traditional CAD tools aren't particularly useful for CAE. Generally, it is challenging to de-feature detailed CAD models and optimize them after they have been created with proper top-down design techniques, so analysts are often forced to remodel designs to get their job done. When analysis happens after CAD, surprises show up that require challenging design changes for the CAD team. The result is long iteration loops that delay time-to-market.
Moving CAE Outside of CAD Now that solid modeling is easy to access outside of traditional CAD, CAE analysts can create optimal concepts that drive the detailed design, adding predictability to the process. Final-stage CAE becomes a mere validation exercise. We see this as an enormous trend in engineering. The current economic climate, as awful as it is, is causing manufacturers to take a close look at their processes and make meaningful changes, like moving to simulation-based product development. At SpaceClaim, we're watching many customers make a highly compelling economic argument to bring solid modeling into engineering. We will continue to see broader adoption of CAE. The question becomes the following: What type of tool will make the models for CAE analysis, traditional feature-based CAD or direct modelers?
[Blake Courter is a co-founder of SpaceClaim Corporation.] "No Engineer Left Behind" Numerous CAx companies are using the recession as an opportunity to promote their software to unemployed designers. It's always been the case that we could download and run just about any CAx software free for 7-30 days (and then getting extensions by reinstalling it on other computers). But now the recession makes CAx companies expand their efforts to acquire customers. As a result, offers available today include:
I was intrigued by CD-adapco's offer, which seemed unusually generous: no-charge software and training on CFD [computational fluid dynamics] software worth over $25,000. But then I looked the gift horse too closely in the mouth, and I found that the qualifiers -- and barriers -- were numerous: Pro: No-charge STAR-CCM+ software. Cons: No charge for six months only.
Pro: No-charge, three-day CFM training course worth $1,800. Cons: Limited to industrial engineers who had work in the last 12 months.
For industrial engineers near Seattle, Houston, and the six other training locations, this might be a good deal. For others, it's not so hot.
www.cd-adapco.com/training/no_engineer_left_behind/index.html iLevel introduces Javelin i20 structural frame design software for modeling floors, walls, and roof systems; outputs material lists. www.iLevel.com CCE updates EnSuite to v2.2 by accessing PMI [product manufacturing information] data found in annotated 3D models; it also shrinkwraps 3D models to selectively eliminate details and make them smaller. www.cadcam-e.com/EnSuite2 ASCON adds to its many ways to pay: rent its software, buy crossgrades, and offer trade-ins. Now a new offer: download Light or demo versions of KOMPAS, and then get a 25% discount when purchasing KOMPAS-3D or KOMPAS-Graphic within a month (e650 for 1 year). www.ascon.net Geometric has figured out how to integrate Teamcenter PLM (from Siemens) and DELMIA manufacturing software (from Dassault). The nameless software exchanges design, engineering and manufacturing data. www.geometricglobal.com/Technology+Solutions/Interoperability+Solutions/Teamcenter+-+DELMIA+Integration/index.aspx Shapeways' PhotoShaper turns photographs into 3D printable objects. The result looks like a mildly embossed rectangle of plastic, as illustrated by the video here: www.shapeways.com/press/presscorner2 ModuleWorks partners with Surfware to place ModuleWorks' 5-axis machining technology in SURFCAM Velocity 4 Multi-Axis software. www.moduleworks.com and www.surfware.com Okino ships a ton of converters for Solid Edge (with synchtech) and Inventor 2010. Convert CAD drawings to 3ds Max, Maya, Lightwave, Cinema-4D, XSI, and other major 3D file formats. www.okino.com Delcam CRISPIN announces TechPac that lets footwear designers generate 2D technical packages for manufacturers. www.delcam.com With last week's shut down of TM-CAD Ingenieurburo, owner Torsten Moses recommends his customers migrate to Briscad, because it uses OpenLISP, plus other APIs. www.bricsys.com Siemens PLM Software ships ParaSolid v21, which allows more complex local operations, adds diagnostic functions, and more complex surface operations. www.siemens.com/plm And VX unveils VX 2009 with built-in 3D learning system. www.vx.com - - - These were some of the news items that were posted during the last week at the WorldCAD Access blog < worldcadaccess.typepad.com >:
And at the Gizmos Grabowski blog <worldcadaccess.typepad.com/gizmos/>:
Seminars & Conferences COFES 2009 is Apr 16-19 in Scottsdale AZ USA. http://cofes.com First ODA World Conference by The Open Design Alliance is Apr 27–29 in Leiden, The Netherlands. www.opendwg.org/conference (I'll be at this conference.) Bentley Systems changes its annual BE user group gathering to a Webinar series. www.bentley.com/en-US/Community/BE+Conference/
Magazine/eZine/Weblog Updates Novedge launches RhinoJungle online community for users McNeel software, including Rhino, Penguin, and Flamingo. www.rhinojungle.com
People/Companies on the Move Oce sells off its American media converting facilities and wide format media distribution centers to Converting Solutions. Oce continues to sell imaging supplies to the AEC and display graphics markets.
Letters to the Editor Re: The Cloud Disappoints "Can't help but comment re: cloud reliability. Your arguments are valid, but they were the same arguments made about electric power years ago: you can't trust the grid so better run it yourself. I believe that over time centrally managed computing will simply be more reliable and more secure. Just my opinion. "I was going to add that people used to think their money was safer under their mattresses than in banks. But today that is not such a crazy idea, is it?"
"Cloud applications hosted by single companies on limited numbers of machines DO suffer from the risks you outlined. "On the other hand, folks building cloud applications hosted in the same manner that the Internet is hosted -- multiple redundancies, no single point of ownership failure, and completely distributed rights -- would not suffer the same risks." The editor replies: "I continue to have my doubts. One of the oldest cloud apps, Hotmail, still lacks automatic backup."
"Thank you for your notes about the cloud. Someone just asked me about clouds and I didn't know what he was referring to -- of course, we are in a major snow storm -- so I was thinking the clouds in the sky. Thank you always for clear, concise information."
"My opinion: 'The cloud' is CENTRALIATION. We all need to organize and learn to 'just say not to CENTRAL government' in ANY form. 'The cloud' is CENTRAL GOVERNMENT in the 'DATA sector'." - - - Re: If software requires an Internet connection, such as to activate it, then it would fail C2. So, Windows Vista would fail C2. "Too long. 'Vista fails' would have been enough <g>." - - - "I've been reading you for many years and you've always given good advice."
Spin Doctor of the Moment "The Google Drive, or 'GDrive', could kill off the desktop computer, which relies on a powerful hard drive."
Notable Quotable "What nobody bothers to mention about the [Facebook] social-networking site is that it's really dull -- mind-numbingly dull."
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