January 2005

By DE Editors

Product of the Week: January 26, 2005Nastran Fully Joins Design ChainNoran Engineering embeds high-end Nastran in SolidWorksNastran FE analysis is traditionally an engineering analysis tool without direct integration into any specific MCAD application, relegating its use to isolated communities of high-end analysts, says Noran Engineering (Westminster, CA). The company’s NEiWorks v1.1 breaks this tradition by embedding high-end Nastran FEA modeling tools directly into SolidWorks. NEiWorks further breaks traditional product development barriers by enabling Nastran FEA data sharing among SolidWorks designers, analysts, clients, and suppliers who use other Nastran applications, such as NEiNastran, MSC.Nastran, and NX Nastran.NEiWorks lets SolidWorks users leverage Nastran FEA’s high-end analysis capabilities, but its seamless integration with the SolidWorks environment’s means that it does not mess with the SolidWorks environment ease-of-use, familiarity, and features. All loads and boundary conditions, along with material and element properties, are associated with SolidWorks geometry directly. If you make a geometry change, NEiWorks can update your mesh automatically.NEiWorks v1.1 features full results postprocessing, the ability to handle assemblies, and nonlinear contact analyses using assemblies. Among its capabilities are buckling analysis; inertial relief; linear static analysis; mass properties analysis; and natural frequencies and mode shapes, including constrained, unconstrained, and rigid body. Miscellaneous features include single- and multiload set animations, XY plots with multiple curves, free surface meshing (quads or triangles), standard and user-defined test reports, and the ability for models to have simultaneous shell and solid meshes.New capabilities in version 1.1 include thermal stress and deflection analysis; temperature-dependent materials in all solutions, steady-state heat transfer; composite laminate materials support in all solutions; nonlinear analysis including contact; and transient and frequency response.NEiWorks v1.1 is available for Windows 2000/NT and XP IA32 (Pentium 4) systems. To view a 2-minute Camtasia audio-video walkthrough of NEiWorks, click here.  Get a free NEiWorks product demonstration, including a WebEx demo, through the Noran Engineering website by clicking here.

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Product of the Week: January 19, 2005 3D Tools Publish Complex Data

Lattice3D’s new application suite lets manufacturers share 3D engineering data throughout enterprise and client chain

On January 17th, Lattice3D (Los Altos, CA) launched its new suite of 3D publishing applications that facilitate the usage, sharing, and repurposing of 3D data across the enterprise. The new interoperable applications—Lattice3D Embed, Lattice3D Composer, and Lattice3D Publisher—enable manufacturers to directly communicate complex processes, instructions, and directions using 3D data.

Lattice3D applications leverage the XVL 3D format developed by Lattice Group. XVL enables the use of large-scale 3D data in a high-fidelity compressed form. According to the company, XVL typically provides 1/50 to 1/250 (better than 98 percent) compression in a loss-less format. This means that large 3D graphics files, such as those created by MCAD solutions, become small enough to handle easily on ordinary PCs, or sent through email, or used on the Internet without loss of detail or visual fidelity.

Lattice3D Composer and Embed can output to XVL, Microsoft Office document formats, PDF, HTML, and Lattice3D’s own lightweight 3D document format. Embed enables interactive 3D data to be enclosed within 2D document formats such as Microsoft Word and Excel as well as in HTML. Users of the resultant files can rotate, zoom, cross-section, and manipulate the 3D data.

Lattice3D Composer creates 3D documents with linked and interactive 3D data, 2D images, parts lists, assembly structures, and other structured data. Composer documents can include all these data types as well as markup text, fully cross-referenced for collaborative problem-solving, process planning, training, design review, and other communications.

Lattice3D Publisher creates lightweight 3D Web pages. The creation process uses templates and single button clicks. Publisher can be used to communicate interactive 3D parts, components, or complete products, with or without exploded parts views or animations.

The new Lattice3D Publishing suite and free client viewer applications are available now from Lattice3D. To see some online demos, click here. For more information, visit Lattice3D.com.

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Product of the Week: January 12, 2005 Adobe Announces Acrobat 7.0

Interactive 3D objects part of expanded capabilities

Adobe Systems Inc. (San Jose, CA) has announced the immediate availability of version 7.0 of its Acrobat family of desktop applications. Adobe also announced the immediate availability of its free client Adobe Reader 7.0 as well as a public beta version for the Linux operating system.

Acrobat 7.0, said to offer faster performance than earlier versions, provides users the ability to assemble documents from multiple sources, create intelligent forms, and collaborate on projects inside and outside the firewall, among other capabilities.

The Acrobat 7.0 family offers different functionality to address specific workflows. Acrobat 7.0 Professional provides more advanced control over engineering and design documents for technical and creative workgroups that rely on specialized software, such as MCAD and publishing solutions such as Adobe Creative Suite. Acrobat 7.0 Professional also expands participation in the review, markup, and approval process by enabling enhanced capabilities in Adobe Reader.

Acrobat 7.0 Standard is suitable for business professionals in organizations of all sizes, where the ability to find, use, and manage vital information-from emails and Web pages to everyday application files-is key to getting work done on time and budget. Acrobat Elements is a license-only product that allows enterprises to put Adobe PDF creation capability on every desktop for more secure document distribution.

In addition to the ability to reliably view and print Adobe PDF files, Adobe Reader 7.0 now includes such functionality as Yahoo! Search capabilities and interactive 3D objects within PDF. Adobe Reader 7.0 can be downloaded at www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html.

Acrobat 7.0 Professional and Acrobat 7.0 Standard have estimated street price of $449. Registered users can upgrade to Acrobat 7.0 for $99 to $159, depending upon their version. Complete details as well as information about versions for language other than English and Acrobat Elements are available online at www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/.

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Product of the Week: January 5, 2005Affordable & Fast, 3D Printers Fit on Benchtop

New and stronger materials also unveiled by Solidscape

Solidscape, Inc. (Merrimack, NH) says that its new T6x BENCHTOP line of 3D printers is the most affordable alternative to traditional methods of creating high-resolution master patterns for investment casting and silicone rubber molding that it has ever produced. The first two models of the T6x BENCHTOP line, the T66 and the T612, are designed to reside at the workbench or in an office environment. Neither unit requires any facility modifications, and both use non-hazardous materials.

The primary difference between the T66 and T612 is in their build area and the space required for deployment. The T66 BENCHTOP offers a build area of 6 x 6 x 6 inches (15.24 x 15.24 x 15.24 cm) while the T612 BENCHTOP provides a build area of 12 x 6 x 6 inches (30.48 x 15.24 x 15.24 cm).

The T612’s footprint is 28.0 inches (71.12 cm) wide x 19.5 inches (49.53 cm) deep x 19.5 inches (49.53 cm) high. The T66 measures 22.0 inches (55.88 cm) wide x 19.5 inches (49.53 cm) deep, 19.5 inches (49.53 cm) high.

The T6x line works with silicone, RTV, epoxy, and other elastomeric molds. The systems can be used to build injection molding tools and for higher precision models, prototypes, and patterns; both units can build layers as fine as 0.0005 inches. Solidscape notes that the T6x line leverages hardware and software configuration developments that enable the units to produce models of superior quality at up to three times the speed of previous Solidscape systems, depending upon part geometry.

Coincident with the T6x BENCHTOP announcement, Solidscape unveiled two new materials. The new InduraCast and InduraFill materials for use in the T6x BENCHTOP systems provide exceptional casting characteristics, according to Solidscape. InduraCast, the model composition material, boasts a 200% strength increase over Solidscape’s BlueCast material.

Also new for the T6x BENCHTOP line is an extended-use build substrate called InduraBase. InduraBase is said to provide operators with significant cost savings on consumables used with the T6x BENCHTOP line, reduces system setup time, and further improves return-on-investment.

Domestic US prices for the T66 BENCHTOP and T612 BENCHTOP are $39,900 and $49,900, respectively. Prices are FOB plant and include a 90-day warranty. For complete details, visit the Solidscape website.