July06-Too

By DE Editors

 July 26, 2006Dear Desktop Engineering Reader:Aweek or so ago, I had a phone briefing with Joe Cieslak, industrymanager at Platform Computing, about Platform LSF for V5 PLM, which thecompany announced on the 19th. Folks, if you were waiting for the daythat grid computing became practical for users throughout your staff,it has arrived.PlatformLSF for V5 PLM grid-enables the CATIA V5 PLM environment. More thanthat, it is fully integrated into the CATIA V5 batch interface. You hita button in your CATIA application, it invokes a window, and you selectgrid-enable this job. Platform LSF for V5 PLM, as Jean-Luc Picard wouldsay, “makes it so.” Platform LSF for V5 PLM finds the processorsavailable for the job, schedules it, and makes it happen. All thewhile, you’re back at work.JoeCieslak tells me that right now Platform LSF for V5 PLM handles some 11CATIA batch jobs, including FEA, clash detection in assemblies, DMU,file translations, V4 to V5 migration, and some constraint checking.You can well imagine more ways to grid-enable V5 in future releases ofthis software. How much time can Platform LSF for V5 PLM recoup foryour process? Hard to say, but it is easy to imagine that, bygrid-enabling your PLM resources, simulations that take three days torun could be finished in as little as four hours.PlatformLSF for V5 PLM takes grid computing to the next, logical level thateveryone has anticipated. Check out the write-up, download the specsheet from the write-up, but check it out. Platform LSF for V5 PLM ismission critical.Thanks, Pal.—LockwoodPlatform Introduces Grid PLM Enabler Distributes workload in effort to optimize multidisciplinary design loop. Platform Computing (Markham, ONT) has announced Platform LSF for V5PLM, a customized version of its Platform LSF for use with DassaultSystèmes’ (DS; Paris, France) V5 PLM (product lifecycle management)line of solutions. Platform LSF for V5 PLM provides the samecapabilities as Platform LSF and augments those capabilities withfunctionality that grid enables V5 batch operations. The companybelieves that Platform LSF for V5 PLM is the first product togrid-enable PLM. Platform LSF for V5 PLM is said to optimize resourcesand address computing infrastructure challenges for enterprises in suchfields as aerospace, biotech, and automotive. Platform LSF for V5 PLM enables DS’s batch infrastructure to delegatejob submissions to the Platform LSF family of grid-enabled solutions. Itallows V5 users to load balance compute resources within a computegrid, schedule batch processes based on user priorities, and monitorprocesses. It will even perform job interventions, if need be. Based on DS’s CAA V5 (Component Application Architecture Version 5),Platform LSF for V5 PLM schedules and distributes operations throughouta grid-enabled enterprise from within the CATIA V5 environment.Currently, it grid-enables 11 V5 batch operations ranging from CAE todigital mock-ups and from clash detections to data conversions.Features include the ability to execute V5 batch operations on serversor desktops and automatic job tracking and updates. Platform LSF for V5 PLM runs on Windows 2000 with Service Pack 4,Windows XP Professional (x86 and x64) with Service Pack 1 or 2, or IBMAIX 5.3 ML3 (64 bit). It requires CATIA V5 R16 SP4 or later. Click hereto download the Platform LSF for V5 PLM datasheet. For more information onPlatform LSF for V5 PLM, click here to go to its Web page.

 July 19, 2006Dear Desktop Engineering Reader: Afew weeks ago, an old acquaintance, Marla Robinson—well, she’s notold; she was 9 when she handled Intergraph Systems 11 yearsback—invited me to meet with some honchos from SGI for a briefing onthe company’s new line of Altix servers. SGI has always had thereputation for building to-be-drooled over, top-shelf systems. The newAltix line is only going to enhance that reputation. Basically, Altix comes in three flavors: XEservers, 450 series mid-range blade servers, and 4700 series servers.It’s tempting to think, small, medium, and large clusters. You wouldnot be all wrong, assuming you forget SGI’s reputation. The baby, theXE, runs the new dual-core Intel Xeons, and SGI will custom configureyours for clustering and application needs.The450 blade server floors it with dual-core Intel Itanium 2 processors.SGI says it is 2.5 times faster than the current-generation Altix 350,and it costs less.The 4700 is why HPC is becoming a reality for mid-sized firms: It isan affordable, mission-critical platform with terabytes of sharedmemory that scales from 8 to 512 CPU sockets (that’s up to 1,024processor cores). SGIhas had a go of it lately, but that’s been driven by some of its legacybusiness decisions. SGI’s technology has always been top-notch. The newAltix family from SGI brings new meaning to top-notch.Checkthem out for yourself through the write-up linked below. The write-uphas links to the individual Web pages of each Altix system. Thanks, Pal. — Lockwood SGI Unveils an Array of Solutions Factory-optimized cluster solutions target application efficiency. Impressive benchamrks announced. Silicon Graphics(SGI; Mountain View, CA) recently unveiled a new lineof cluster solutions based on the dual-core Intel Xeon processor 5100series—the Woodcrest processor announced by Intel in late June. In asimultaneous announcements, the company also introduced the newSGI Altix 450 mid-range blade server and revealed that both it as wellas the company’s 4700 server will be equipped with Intel’s newgeneration of dual-core Itanium 2 processors formerly code-namedMontecito.Yesterday, July 18, SGI released performance benchmarks backingup its claim that the new dual-core Altix 4700 and Altix 450 serversdeliver double the performance of today’s generation of Altix systems.For good measure, the benchmarks are said to indicate that the SGIsystems outperform certain competitors’ units.SGI’s new family of 64-bit Linux-based servers and factory-integratedclusters, the SGI Altix XE are custom-configured around its pair ofdual-core Xeon 5150 processors to optimize leading applications. Whatthis means is that the SGI Altix XE servers allow organizations toorganize themselves for hybrid workloads that combine brute-forcesystem horsepower with the efficiency achieved through customization todrive their mission-critical applications.The Altix XE can accommodate up to four processor cores and support upto 32GB of memory. Its energy-efficient design requires just 65 or 80watts per socket, which has an added benefit of reducing powermanagement and cooling concerns for IT. SGI says that the Altix XE’smodular systems management design helps meet RAS (reliability,availability and serviceability) requirements. Memory bandwidth is listreported to be 21GB/sec.SGI plans call for the Altix XE systems to support both Novell SUSEEnterprise Linux Ver. 9 and 10 (when available) and Red Hat) EnterpriseLinux 4 (planned for this month), along with SGI ProPack for Linux 5acceleration software. The new server is available in two formfactors: a 1U chassis suitable for dense cluster configurations and a2U chassis that provides plentiful amounts of I/O to serve as a clusterhead node.SGI Altix XE cluster solutions can be ordered today. Baseconfiguration pricing starts at less than $3,100. For further details,click here. The Altix 450 is a mid-rangeblade server that offers up to 2.5 times the system performance of thecurrent Altix 350 server at a lower cost. Using dual-core Intel Itanium2 processors, the Altix 450 is said to provide greater Linux serverdensity to maximize floor space while reducing heat dissipation andusing up to 20 percent less power than their single-core predecessors. The Altix 450 is made up of modular blades—interchangeable compute,memory, and I/O blades for plug-and-solve configuration flexibility.Each Altix 450 system can scale to 38 Intel Itanium 2 sockets (up to 76processor cores) and up to 456GB of globally addressable memory. TheAltix 450 is expected to be available shortly. Pricing begins at lessthan $15,000. For more information, click here. SGI describes the dual-core Altix 4700 system as suitable for HPC environments withdemanding data-intensive workloads. It scales from 8 to 512 CPU sockets(up to 1,024 processor cores) and can accommodate up to 6TB of sharedmemory in a single system while delivering a teraflop of performance ina small-footprint rack. Altix 4700 system configurations start at less than $75,000 areexpected to be available in late August. For more information on theAltix 4700, clickhere. Turning to the benchmark tests, SGI says that in tests ofMSC.Software’s MD Nastran computational structural mechanicsapplication, a dual-core Altix 4700 on two 1.6GHz dual-core IntelItanium 2 processor 9000 series was 2.6 times faster than a competitorsdual-core server leveraging a pair of dual-core 2.6GHz Opteronprocessors. At press time, data confirming these results were not yetposted on MSC’s website. SGI also claimed exceptional performance in benchmarking forearth and life sciences, government and defense, and data managementapplications. Click here for the SGI press statement. Links at the endof the announcement can lead you to the benchmark tests and data.

 July 12, 2006Dear Desktop Engineering Reader:A few weeks ago, Jonathan Knowles, a honcho at Autodesk and one of thereally good guys in the industry, was my host at an online demo of thenew Autodesk Design Review 2007. Formerly DWF Composer, Design Review2007 is a completely upgraded, enhanced, and expanded program. So donot be fooled into thinking a new name means a common upgrade.Autodesk Design Review offers new 3D tools, the ability to display 2Dand 3D data within a single DWF file, an animation palette, batchprinting wizards, and its complementary DWF Writer utility that cancapture 3D data from competing MCAD applications. And on and on it goes.But, forget my recommendation. I’m just a guy. As a special bonus forsubscribers of our Pick of the Week and DE Newslink, we are postingonline a review of Autodesk Design Review 2007 that just showed up atDE HQ. We plan to run this review in our September issue, but you getit here first because, well, I am the editor. I think you should havean independent review of this important product without delay. The linkis here. Oh, and from the news story and the review, you can accesslinks to compete lists of enhancements, trial versions, and utilities.Design Review 2007 is Autodesk’s heavyweight contender in the elitedesign collaboration market, and an elite engineering collaborationtool it is. If you’re one of the eight gazillion users of AutodeskInventor, AutoCAD, Revit, and what have you, Autodesk Design Review2007 should be in your toolset.Thanks, Pal.—  Lockwood DWF Composer Renamed, New Tools AddedAutodesk Design Review focuses on new tools for collaboration.Autodesk, Inc. (San Rafael, CA) has renamed its Autodesk DWF Composersoftware Autodesk Design Review 2007 and announced that this latestupgrade is shipping. At the same time, the companyannounced Design Review 2007, it also announced new versions of itsfree DWF Viewer and DWF Writer applications.Key enhancements in Designer Review 2007 are its focus on facilitatingcollaboration between extended product development teams, 2D and 3Dreview, and hundreds of new features and capabilities, says thecompany. Autodesk Design Review 2007 integrates with allAutodesk design products, and now especially Inventor through what iscalled Autodesk Inventor 11 DWF Extension, a new release for AutodeskInventor software subscription customers. New features in Autodesk Design Review 2007 include BOM viewing,support for assembly instructions, animations, 2D/3D associations,pull-apart, sectioning, exploded views, design analysis, AutodeskInventor representations, and custom views. Other new features includedirect import of DWG and DXF files, the ability to combine 2D and 3Ddocuments in a single file, batch printing, save views, rotation ofmarkups and custom symbols. Autodesk says Design Review 2007’s tight integration and functionalitywith Autodesk Inventor provides a bidirectional solution. As an exampleof this, Autodesk says that you can now publish Inventor files withassociated metadata, BOM (bill of materials), and 3D animations thatdemonstrate assembly and disassembly instructions inside a compact andsecure file.The unveiling of Autodesk Design Review 2007 also marks theavailability of the newest update of the company’s free Autodesk DWFViewer and Autodesk DWF Writer software. The latter has been enhancedwith more options to freely publish 2D and 3D design data to DWF files.DWF Writer supports publishing 2D files and 3D models that retainembedded intelligent design information, including specialized plug-insfor SolidWorks, Pro/Engineer Wildfire, and CATIA.Autodesk Design Review 2007 costs $199. For a full list of newfeatures, click here. To register for a 30-day trial version ofAutodesk Design Review, click here.Autodesk Inventor 11 DWF Extension is available to Autodesk Inventor subscription customers from their subscription center. Click here to register for your free download of DWF Viewer and here for DWF Writer.

July 6, 2006 Dear Desktop Engineering Reader:This week’s Pick is MagicTracer, a raster-to-vector conversion programfrom a small company called Elgorithms based in Pryor, OK. A number ofthings attracted me to this product and outfit, but none more than thehonesty of its announcement.They went beyond the usual ho-ha of “bug fixes” and totally skippedover the improvements to your virility wrought as a result of usingtheir software. Here’s a quote from the announcement on their websiteto show you what I mean. “Fixes program crash when multiple documentsare open and vector convert commands are executed for one documentwhile you are currently focused on another document.“Fixes a program crash? It was 1982 when I last heard a softwaredeveloper confess to John Q. Public that their software could crash.Such a give and take is surely why 13,000 downloads of MagicTracer havebeen recorded since the site went live last October.I haven’t tried MagicTracer, I know next to nothing about Elgorithms,and I doubt our sales guys could get a dime out of them for myrecommendation. But I applaud them for a press statement sans baloney,for being entrepreneurs, and for sounding like real people.So, if you need a raster-to-vector tool, you can get MagicTracer forjust 50 bucks. It has more than 100 customizable features and bothraster and vector editing tools, which strikes me as pretty good forthe dough. Use the links in the write-up to check out the videos ofMagicTracer or to download the free evaluation copy.Thanks, Pal.—Lockwood Raster to Vector SystemMagicTracer is low-cost, yet has both vector and raster tools.Elgorithms (Pryor, OK) says that its Windows-based MagicTracer isdifferent from other raster to vector systems because it provides youwith both raster and vector tools. Additionally, the company assertsthat MagicTracer’s “unique” overlay feature increases “the ease ofediting in both raster and vector modes. Perhaps another differencethat the company should note is its price: $49.95 for a permanentlicense. MagicTracer features a two-step vector conversion process (apply EdgeFilter and Threshold then apply the vector conversion), and itsreal-time preview lets you adjust settings before executing the trace.Vector output export options include as DXF, WMF, DC2, and XYZ formats.It supports most image formats, including BMP, GIF, JPG, TIF, TGA, andPCX, and it works with most any Twain32-compliant scanners. Miscellaneous features include Set Drawing Units command, support ofBezier curves when saving DXF files, and the ability to save arcs andcircles in WMF files. MagicTracer contains an assortment of raster and vector editing toolsas well as more than 100 customizable functions. Raster tools includefreehand, polygon, box, circle, and magic wand; pseudo colors; changecolor depth (1, 4, 8, 24 bits); and box, line, ellipse, and sketchdrawing tools.  Vector editing tools include box, line, ellipse,arc, curve, and sketch drawing tools; and lines to hatch, curve to lineand back again. A complement of raster processing, vector conversion,and DXF “save as” options are provided. MagicTracer comes with step-by-step tutorials and documentation. Clickhere to view video demonstrations of the program’s vector conversionprocess. A fully functional trial version is available for download byclicking here. Click here to go to the company’s website for furtherdetails