Products: April 2006

By DE Editors

Hardware, Software, Tools, and Utilities 

Currently working toward those ends with 10 “of the world’s largest design companies,” according to Drew Mattison, Autodesk’s design industry manager, the service entails a strategic assessment of the company’s processes from initial design sketch to product packaging and yields an ROI-driven digital manufacturing roadmap. It involves a lot of research and can engage everything from hiring qualified designers to how an accountant keeps track of payables.

Because it’s a customized service that is tailored to each company’s specific needs, the full monty can cost anywhere from $200,000 to a cool million or more. In the end, the result everyone is looking for is increased innovation.

For complete details, visit autodesk.com.

Visual Numerics, Inc. (San Ramon, CA) released a new version of its flagship data analysis program. IMSL C Numerical Library Version 6.0 now includes advanced forecasting techniques as well as breakthrough optimization technology.  It has neural network and Auto_ARIMA capabilities, and one of the fastest dense linear programming algorithms in a general-purpose library. 

The IMSL C Numerical Library provides advanced mathematical and statistical functionality for programmers to embed in applications that are written in C/C++. The thread-safe functions are based on the same algorithms in the IMSL Fortran Library.

One of the key new features is a neural network engine that mimics human problem-solving by applying knowledge gained from historical data to new problems. This helps forecasting accuracy over time. The neural network technology also features advanced data preprocessing.

Another highlight is its dense linear programming optimizer. According to VNI, IMSL solved 46 examples in one-eighth the time of another leading linear programming optimizer. Version 6 also includes MPS format readers that facilitate linear programming among existing users.

Other new features include Auto_ARIMA for advanced forecasting routines for time-series analysis, a differential equations package for scientific computing, a new random number generator technique using the Mersenne Twister algorithm, and new LAPACK functionality.

Price: $1,495 (per seat, to start).

For more information, visit vni.com.

ALGOR V19, the latest FEA software release from ALGOR (Pittsburgh, PA), offers expanded support for 64-bit Windows and 32-and 64-bit Red Hat Linux operating systems. V19 features boundary layer meshing for simulating flow around a boundary as well as new results evaluation capabilities including export to the HOOPS Stream File format for sharing visualization data.

V19 expands ALGOR’s multi-platform support, letting users apply the power and speed of 64-bit Windows and 32- and 64-bit Red Hat Linux operating systems to all ALGOR analysis types, including static stress and MES (Mechanical Event Simulation) with linear and nonlinear material models, linear dynamics, steady-state, and transient heat transfer, steady and unsteady fluid flow, electrostatics, and full multiphysics. The company says that its next release will support 64-bit UNIX and future releases will support distributed processing.

Features in ALGOR V19 include direct CAD support and data exchange with Rhino, improved tetrahedral-element meshing for fluid flow analysis, a new equal-order segregate solver for transient and coupled fluid flow/heat transfer analysis, new loosely coupled fluid-structure interaction, support for all material models and element types in nonlinear modal analysis, 2D stress linearization for evaluating compliance with industry standards, and non-time-dependent graphs.

For detailed information about ALGOR V19, click here.

Stratasys (Minneapolis, MN) is offering three new modeling material options and higher resolution in the latest version of its FDM Vantage rapid prototyping system. The Vantage X has a starting price of $99,000. Concurrent with this introduction, the base model FDM Vantage’s price will be lowered, so system prices will now range from $85,000 to $195,000.

Besides standard polycarbonate (PC) and ABS plastic, the Vantage X offers a PC-ABS blend, PC-ISO, and ABSi options. ABSi offers improvements over standard ABS, including finer feature detail and surface finish smoothness. PC-ABS combines the strength of PC with the flexibility of ABS. And PC-ISO is a medical-grade plastic that meets ISO 10993 and USP Class VI material requirements.

The Vantage X can be ordered in either “A” or “P” configurations. The A configuration allows the use of ABS, ABSi, and PC-ABS. The P configuration allows the use of PC, PC-ISO, and PC-ABS. Material configuration options let users customize the machine to meet their specific application needs.

Besides the new material options, the Vantage X offers a significant resolution upgrade for ABS, ABSi, and PC-ABS. The high-resolution setting of 0.005 inch or “5 mil” (0.127 mm) gives users the option of excellent feature detail and surface finish smoothness in a thermoplastic part.

The Vantage X is now shipping. For further details, visit stratasys.com.