CADalyst articles from March 2002

CADalyst archives from March 2002

Subscribe now, and we'll throw in--.(Product Announcement)
March 1, 2002... CAD vendors are getting downright pushy about subscription programs. The latest example: Autodesk's just-released Architectural Studio is available only by subscription. This is not the first product Autodesk has introduced as...

Dialog box: Readers talk to us.(Letter to the Editor)
March 1, 2002... Heck no, we won't go I have used AutoCAD since v2.17 and I've read your magazine for many years. It's been an excellent source of CAD-oriented information. I save many articles, tips, and AutoLISP routines and use them in my work...

Correction.(Correction Notice)
March 1, 2002... In the February issue we misspelled the name of the cover artist. The cover information should have read: Borislav Ignatov, architectural designer, created this month's cover image on a 650MHz Intel Celeron system with 128MB RAM and an ATI Rage...

Hardware : 180 FLAT PANEL DISPLAY.(Product Announcement)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Hitachi America, Ltd., released the CML181 180 flat-panel display ($999) that features proprietary S-IPS technology for distortion-free color images at 1708 viewing angles. The display offers an 180 viewing area, 0.28mm pixel pitch, 235-nit...

Hardware : WIRELESS MONITOR.(Product Announcement)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... The VX3600 MegaMonitor ($6,999) from ViewSonic Corp. includes LCoS (Liquid Crystal on Silicon) technologies to offer 360 diagonal wide-screen viewing for PC, video, and television use. It measures 33.60 3 28.70 3 18.20 (w3h3d) and weighs less...

Hardware : COLOR SCANNER/COPIER.(Product Announcement)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Western Graphtec's CS1000 8-bit color image E-size scanner ($12,995) can work as a multifunctional large-format color copier if used with a plotter. The CS1000's Global Map project develops standardized geographic information in a digital...

Hardware : GRAPHICS CARDS.(Product Announcement)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... 3Dlabs, Inc., introduced the Wildcat III 6210 (less than $3,000) and Wildcat III 6110 (less than $2,000) graphics accelerator cards. Both cards offer OpenGL 1.3 acceleration, six fully programmable T&L engines, and DVI-I and analog output...

Hardware : ANALOG/DIGITAL MONITORS.(Product Announcement)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Samsung unveiled the 180 SyncMaster 181T ($1,299) and 190 SyncMaster 191T ($1,499) analog and digital TFT monitors with a super-narrow bezel that measures 18.6mm (width). The units feature a 1708 wide viewing angle and offer a maximum...

Hardware/Software : ADD-IN CAM SOFTWARE.(Product Announcement)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Gibbs and Associates introduced SolidWorks-to-GibbsCAM and Inventor-to-GibbsCAM add-ins (free to GibbsCAM end users) that facilitate pushbutton transfer of model files from Inventor and SolidWorks to GibbsCAM. A pull-down menu item is added to...

Hardware/Software : SUPPLY-CHAIN AUTOMATION.(Product Announcement)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... JIT Corp. released PartsClerk ($849 for single user; subscriptions vary by industry) supply-chain automation software to simplify part ordering and inventory control for manufacturers and suppliers. It incorporates the company's Desktop Hosting...

Hardware/Software : CAM-INSPECTION SOLUTION.(Product Announcement)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... FARO Technologies Inc. released CAM2 Measure 3.7 ($9,900) a CAD-based measurement and analysis program designed for articulating portable measurement arms, CMMs (coordinate measuring machines), and other 3D measurement instruments. CAM2 Measure...

Hardware/Software : 3D RAPID PROTOTYPING INKJET SYSTEM.(Product Announcement)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Objet QuadraTempo (call for pricing) 3D rapid prototyping inkjet system from Objet Geometries takes STL files that contain model design information and prints each layer. QuadraTempo measures 520 3 47.20 3 390 (w3d3h) and weighs 770lb. It...

Hardware/Software : DIGITAL MODELING SYSTEM.(Product Announcement)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... The FreeForm v5 modeling system (prices start at $15,000) from SensAble Technologies provides a touch-based analog interface for digital modeling. It uses familiar physical terms to describe its tools, such as sculpt, wire cut, shape, and...

Software : VRML VIEWER.(Product Announcement)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... TruView Pro (call for pricing) visual collaboration tool from VirtualE3D lets you visualize, analyze, and collaborate on any 3D content with Elumens VisionStation products. TruView Pro offers loading and walkthroughs of large data, measurement...

Software : ERGONOMIC MOUSE DRIVER.(Product Announcement)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... MRT Research introduced IntelliPointer ($20), a driver that reduces hand movement when using a computer mouse or trackball. You maneuver the pointer with a slow, small movement of your hand. According to the company, IntelliPointer reduces the...

Software : PRESENTATION TOOL.(Product Announcement)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Doodle! 9 ($119) from PanzerCAD Services, Inc., a presentation tool for VectorWorks, adds a hand-drawn look to selected objects. The Doodle! Hatch fills selected polygons with a hatch for a hand pen-and-ink shading effect, and Doodle! Marker...

Software : CHILDREN'S CAD SOFTWARE.(Product Announcement)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Doctor Walt's CAD For Kids for Windows ($129.95) mechanical design and drafting software, a modified version of CADKEY's CAD software, provides children with an introduction to basic solid modeling and 2D and 3D drawing techniques. Children can...

On the job : MACDON INDUSTRIES HARVESTS EFFICIENCY WITH SOLID EDGE'S CAD MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE.(Product Announcement)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... For more than a half century, MacDon Industries Ltd. of Winnipeg, Canada, has manufacturered harvesting machines. The company experienced a major productivity boost when it adopted Solid Edge's Insight product data management technology from...

Software : COLLABORATION TOOL.(Product Announcement)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... RealityWave Inc.'s VizStream Platform (call for pricing) lets you access and visualize 3D models, 2D drawings, and other industrial data for any application. The platform features two main components: the VizStream Server and the VizStream...

Software : RASTER DESIGN.(Autodesk Raster Design)(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
March 1, 2002... Autodesk Raster Design ($1,695) from Autodesk, Inc., helps you integrate legacy and paper-based drawings and photos into the digital design process. The software features optical character recognition that recognizes machine and hand-printed...

Software : MATH APPLICATION.(Product Announcement)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... MathSoft introduced Mathcad 2001i ($799-$1,299.99), an enhanced version of its Mathcad solution for applying math. New features include full support for Windows XP, improvements such as 2D grid color options and 3D axis labels, more data...

Software : WATER RESOURCE SOLUTION.(Haestad Methods releases Darwin)(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
March 1, 2002... Haestad Methods released Darwin (call for pricing) modeling software for water resources such as storm water systems and sewers. Darwin evaluates a group of parameter combinations to troubleshoot potential problems with a design. It begins with...

Software : ONLINE COLLABORATION.(Prolog Scheduler from Meridian Project Systems)(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
March 1, 2002... Prolog Scheduler ($495) from Meridian Project Systems is a Web-based collaborative scheduling and resource management application for construction and design professionals. This stand-alone or add-on software offers real time, multiple-user...

Software : SEWER MODELING.(Pizer Inc.'s Hydra 6)(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
March 1, 2002... Pizer Inc.'s Hydra 6 ($4,500) sewer modeling software analyzes, designs, and manages storm, sanitary, and combined sewer systems. It supports Autodesk's AutoCAD 2000/2000i/2002 and features a GISMaster graphical data interface that ensures...

Software : HVAC DUCT CALCULATOR.(Marinsoft)(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
March 1, 2002... Marinsoft, Inc., debuted Duct Calculator ($29), an HVAC duct calculation and sizing program that operates alone and as an add-on to Autodesk Building Mechanical. The Duct Calculator sizes ductwork based on engineering data and procedures in the...

Software : MOLD AND DIE SOFTWARE.(SESCOI)(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
March 1, 2002... SESCOI released WorkNC-CAD ($3,900 or free with WorkNC v15) CAD software for mold, die, and tooling applications. It also works with other CAD programs. WorkNC-CAD offers cavity and core separation and rapid part analysis. Its parting surface...

Software : PERFORMANCE TESTING.(Lumeo Motion 2.0 from Lumeo Software)(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
March 1, 2002... Lumeo Motion 2 (starts at $3,995) real time performance-testing software from Lumeo Software, Inc., is designed specifically for heavy equipment and automotive applications. You operate Lumeo Motion 2 interactively--you don't have to define...

Software : MODELING COLLABORATION.(EDS' I-deas 9.0)(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
March 1, 2002... EDS' I-deas 9 software (call for pricing) for CAD, CAM, and CAE applications facilitates collaboration through its XML viewer that handles additional file types and enhanced data translators for non-native data sources. I-deas 9 supports I-deas...

Software : PLANT ENGINEERING PROGRAM.(Innotec of America Inc.'s Cosmos PT)(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
March 1, 2002... Innotec of America Inc.'s Cosmos PT (call for pricing) is a facility-spanning, object-oriented CAE system for plant designers, engineers, and carriers in plant engineering. It works with third-party solutions such as Microsoft Office, SAP, and...

Software : JEWELRY DESIGN.(GemVision Corp. announces DG (Digital Goldsmith) Matrix)(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
March 1, 2002... GemVision Corp. announced DG (Digital Goldsmith) Matrix jewelry design software ($4,995). It lets you create virtual jewelry in 3D with builders, wizards, and supporting libraries. You can plug in parameters for any item, such as a bezel for a...

Calendar.
March 1, 2002... National Manufacturing Week/NDES March 18-21 Exhibition and conference for the product manufacturing process. McCormick Place Complex Chicago, IL 800.840.0678 www.manufacturingweek.com COFES May 2-5 The Congress on the...

2002 mechanical CADDIES CADalyst Image Awards.
March 1, 2002... And the winner is-- Thank you to all entrants and sponsors for this year's mechanical and manufacturing CADDIES Image Awards. This year was the first time we split the CADDIES into two contests--mechanical and architectural. We asked seven...

MCAD 2002 predictions from industry leaders.
March 1, 2002... It's a palindromic year--one that reads the same forward and backward. It is a perfect time to look back and look forward. I asked the CEOs and top managers of leading MCAD companies to give me their views of the past year and the coming year...

Dell notebook narrows performance gap.(Hardware Review)(Evaluation)
March 1, 2002... Today's compact systems and special graphics processing chips designed for them make it easy to take your CAD and visualization programs with you--and be productive with them--on the road. This review discusses factors to evaluate when you...

Precision M40.(Hardware Review)(Evaluation)
March 1, 2002... Precision M40 dell computer corp. 5 stars out of 5 Compact, sleek, and very well engineered, the Dell Precision M40 is one of the first true notebook workstations. This compact system measures 130 3 10.90 and is only 1.750 deep....

Latitude C800.(Dell Computer)(Hardware Review)(Evaluation)
March 1, 2002... Latitude C800 Dell Computer Corp. Until about eight months ago, this was one of the top choices of portable computers for engineers. Comparing it with the M40 shows how much has changed in a relatively short period of time. Dell sent us...

3800/2800+ MTower MP.(Xi Computers)(Hardware Review)(Evaluation)
March 1, 2002... 3800/2800+ MTower MP Xi Computers We've come to expect exceptional performance and good value from Xi Computers, and the dual-processor 3800/2800+ MTower MP it sent for benchmarking and comparison in this article is no exception. Based...

Alibre Design supports MCAD collaboration : Online program also features tools for modeling, drafting, and basic PDM.
March 1, 2002... Built specifically as an Internet application, Alibre Design is the flagship offering of Alibre, Inc., a provider of Web-based design and data sharing solutions. Because of Alibre's unique position in the MCAD industry, this review covers...

Autodesk Building Systems build on Architectural Desktop : Mechanical and electrical applications bring objects to building systems.(Software Review)(Evaluation)
March 1, 2002... Two new applications from Autodesk--Building Mechanical and Building Electrical--handle building systems engineering drafting. Though definitely first-release products, with all the problems and incompleteness that usually entails, they benefit...

EarthWorks Optimizer Pro : Automate cut/fill calculations.(Software Review)(Evaluation)
March 1, 2002... When roadways are built, one common construction task involves moving earth, shaping the terrain to meet the civil engineer's requirements and design. Engineers must balance the amount of earth moved so that the volume of earth excavated, or...

Power Fasteners 5 : Table-driven 3D fasteners.(Software Review)(Evaluation)
March 1, 2002... Power Fasteners 5 from CAD Management Group is an add-on for Autodesk Inventor Release 5. The program creates parametric, table-driven 3D fasteners in ANSI and metric units. Power Fasteners contains more than 130 fastener types for use in...

Online parts libraries : Don't draw when you can download premade parts on the Internet.
March 1, 2002... Many manufacturing companies use the Internet to provide detailed drawings, specifications, and CAD models directly to their customers. Traditionally, designers and engineers kept a bookshelf full of manufacturer catalogs for quick reference to...

Rendering adds realism : AutoCAD's basic visualization tools, part II.
March 1, 2002... Last time (January 2002), we used AutoCAD's standard visualization functions to go from a basic wire frame through a simple hidden-line removal (figure 1) and on to the shaded image of figure 2. This month, we'll dabble with AutoCAD's rendering...

Toolbar templates : Add custom toolbars to your AutoLISP program interfaces.
March 1, 2002... Toolbars are an essential part of any custom program or application you write. They provide an efficient and friendly interface for users to access your program. They also keep your program separate from AutoCAD's menus. Creating a toolbar...

Look at me : Launch Explorer from your current AutoCAD folder.
March 1, 2002... Several readers have asked how to make AutoCAD automatically launch Windows Explorer in the current folder. The simplest way is to create an icon button with a macro that launches Explorer with a Command line switch and the desired folder. The...

Tips from our readers.
March 1, 2002... $50 BONUS WINNER STEEL SHAPES OF ALL TYPES AND SIZES Tip #1779 [STL.ZIP] Here's a dialog box interface to create steel shapes in 2D or as 3D solids, in English or metric units. It draws every shape in the book, including tubes,...