CADalyst articles from May 2003

CADalyst archives from May 2003

An oxymoronic situation. (Editor's window: opinions, comments, and predictions).
May 1, 2003... A recent poll conducted on cadalyst.com asked about your plans to upgrade to AutoCAD 2004, Autodesk's newly released version of its veteran CAD application. Although more than a quarter of respondents (27%) were eager to upgrade immediately,...

Dialog box: readers talk to us.(Letter to the Editor)
May 1, 2003... System shock I patiently waited for my Architectural Desktop 2004 to arrive, but was shocked to learn that it requires a Pentium 4 (and won't run on Windows 98). I'm surprised this wasn't mentioned in last month's "Less is more" review. In...

Corrections.(Correction Notice)
May 1, 2003... The Web site for Elysium is www.ely siuminc.com. FlashCut's URL is www.flash cutcnc.com (NDES Report, April 2003, p. 20).

LCD monitor. (hardware).(Sharp Systems of America's sharp LL-T2020)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... The LL-T2020, a 20.10 LCD monitor ($1,999) from Sharp Systems of America, displays 1.9 megapixels (1,6003 1,200 resolution). The LL-T2020 features Sharp's proprietary 10-bit gamma correction technology, which allows it to display 10 bits of...

Graphics card. (hardware).(3Dlabs Wildcat VP990 Pro)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... 3Dlabs released the Wildcat VP990 Pro workstation graphics accelerator ($899), which combines a highly programmable VPU (visual processing unit) with 512MB of onboard 256-bit graphics memory on a standard AGP card. You can install the Wildcat...

3D printer. (hardware).(ZPrinter 310 System )
May 1, 2003... Z Corp. released the ZPrinter 310 System (call for pricing) for producing 3D prototypes. The ZPrinter 310 System is an office-size, entry-level system based on Hewlett-Packard's inkjet printing technology. In addition to increased speed, this...

B/W scanner. (hardware).(Oce TDS410 )(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Oce introduced the TDS410 entry-level monochrome scanner ($12,000; $700 for 170 CRT user interface; $3,500 for Oce ScanLogic software), a stand-alone scanner aimed at low-volume users. Using the Oce Green Button approach, scanning is simple,...

Keyboard/motion controller. (hardware).(3Dconnexion Space-Navigator )(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... 3Dconnexion announced Space-Navigator ($299), an integrated keyboard and motion controller that lets you review and build CAD designs, annotate models, and review documents. SpaceNavigator supports numerous 3D viewers, including eDrawings,...

New dialog boxes. (Software: general).(CAD Masters' CAD Launcher )(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... CAD Masters' CAD Launcher ($49 per seat) replaces the Open and New dialog boxes within Autodesk Map, Architectural Desktop, Land Desktop, and AutoCAD with a more job- and project-focused drawing launcher. The software launches from AutoCAD. You...

Thermal modeling. (Software: general).
May 1, 2003... With Fluent's IcePro 3.1 ($2,500 annual license), you can automatically export Pro/ENGINEER geometry to Icepak. You can also start Icepak directly from within Pro/ENGINEER to access the newly exported model. In addition to the capabilities...

Project management. (Software: general).(ITI ProjectView 3.0)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... ITI (International TechneGroup Inc.) announced ITI ProjectView v3 for collaborative project management through a Web portal that provides secure yet seamless access to all types of business, manufacturing, engineering, and project data,...

Complete specifications. (Software: general).
May 1, 2003... Project Management Systems released Project Manual (call for pricing), which provides all the information needed for a complete specification book, including ancillary nonproduct requirements such as Bid Forms, Contract Forms, Prevailing Wage...

Collaboration tools. (Software: general).
May 1, 2003... Virtual/Design Network unveiled its Virtual-WorkSpaces (call for pricing), which features a full set of collaboration tools such as multipoint videoconferencing, calendaring, scheduling, file sharing and data transfer, and real-time viewing of...

Document management. (Software: general).(Cyco Software's AutoManager Meridian and AutoManager TeamWork)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Cyco Software announced AutoManager Meridian and AutoManager TeamWork, which feature full integration with Autodesk Inventor 6 software. Cyco Software's AutoManager Meridian (starts at $1,495) for larger enterprises and AutoManager TeamWork...

Volkswagen Design Center builds better models with laser scanning. (on the job).(with Nvision's ModelMaker)
May 1, 2003... Switching from manual digitizing to laser scanning helped the Volkswagen & Audi Design Center in Simi Valley, California, make more realistic physical models of new vehicle design concepts and streamline its decision-making process. ...

Tablet sketch. (Software: general).(Alias/Wavefront's Alias SketchBook Pro for the Tablet PC )(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Alias|Wavefront announced Alias SketchBook Pro for the Tablet PC (online $129, CD-ROM $149), a pen-based software application that transforms the Tablet PC into a digital sketchbook. Alias SketchBook Pro lets you annotate images and documents,...

Low-cost CAD. (Software: general).(GiveMePower's PowerCAD LT1 for Windows )(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... GiveMePower Corp. introduced PowerCAD LT1 for Windows ($99), a full-featured 2D and basic 3D CAD system that offers the ability to create professional-quality designs and project blueprints. PowerCAD LT1 R5.2 features file-opening compatibility...

Technical drawings. (Software: general/mcad).(Corel Designer 10.0)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Corel Corp. launched Corel Designer v10 ($499; upgrade $229), which streamlines technical illustration production. Among the new features are industry-standard symbols and symbol libraries, new technical illustration tools such as Virtual...

Conferencing. (Software: general/mcad).(Sigma Design's eZ 3.0)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Sigma Design introduced eZ 3.0 ($399 includes one year of eZnetwork, $99 per year thereafter; special pricing for 501 seats), formerly known as eZmeeting. eZ enables ad hoc conferencing with virtually any data, such as CAD documents, plot...

2D/3D CAD. (Software: general/mcad).(International Microcomputer Software's TurboCAD 9.0)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... IMSI shipped TurboCAD v9 (Professional $695, Standard $99.95, upgrades $199.95-$299.95). TurboCAD Professional v9 has more than 40 new features. For example, it now displays the intersection of the workplane with existing 3D objects and offers...

Integrated CAD. (Software: general/mcad).(Electronic Data Systems' I-DEAS 10 NX Series)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... EDS launched I-DEAS 10 NX Series (individual modules range from $2,500 to $25,000), the latest version of its integrated CAD, manufacturing, and engineering analysis software. New features include Part Component technology that gives you a new...

Mechanical design. (Software: general/mcad).(VX 7.0)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... VX Corp. released VX v7 (call for pricing), the latest version of its CAD/CAM software, with many new tools and enhancements designed to boost performance, efficiency, and ease of use, according to the company. Among the improvements are easier...

CAM. (Software: general/mcad).(Surfware's SURFCAM 2003 CAD/CAM Systems )(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Surfware announced SURFCAM 2003 CAD/CAM Systems (call for pricing), which offers full associativity throughout its 2-5-axis machining, turning, and wire EDM software products. Machining parameters are associative with the geometry. SURFCAM 3D...

Making movies for architectural design. (on the job).(David Porter Associates uses DataCAD)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... David Porter, of David Porter Associates-Architects, Palm Beach County, Florida (www.porterarchitects. com), uses his CAD program, DataCAD (www.data cad.com), to construct 3D computer models of buildings he designs, complete with people in the...

3D solid modeler. (Software: mcad).
May 1, 2003... EDS launched Solid Edge v14 ($4,995 per license) with a long list of enhancements, including new Rapid Blue shape creation technology that helps you design the shape you want, evaluate shape alternatives in real time, and retain a shape through...

Freeform surface and solids. (Software: mcad).(CADKEY Workshop for Wndows 21.0)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... CADKEY shipped CADKEY Workshop Version 21 for Windows ($3,000, includes a one-year update contract), a major enhancement to CADKEY's freeform surface and solid modeling CAD software. CADKEY Workshop v21 adds advanced surface modeling tools such...

Electrical design. (Sofware: general/aec).(Smartdraw.com's SmartDraw Professional and Professional {Plus)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Smartdraw.com released SmartDraw software ($69; Professional, $129; Professional Plus, $198) to create electrical schematics and other diagrams. Smartdraw includes thousands of symbols and templates for electrical engineering so you can drag...

Stormwater. (Sofware: general/aec).(Haestad Methods' StormCAD 5.0)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Haestad Methods announced StormCAD v5 for stormwater engineering. StormCAD v5 offers a variety of new features and enhancements, including a Profile Manager to customize, store, recall, and modify profiles. You can tailor new profile templates...

AEC design. (Software: general/aec).(Advance Relational Technology's Chief Architect Professional Edition 9.0)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Chief Architect Professional Edition 9 from Advanced Relational Technology (base $995, full $1,495), is a tool for home design and remodeling. You can create floor plan layouts and arrange rooms by inserting objects such as doors, windows,...

Plant design. (Software: general/aec).(COADE's CADWorx 2004)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... COADE announced CADWorx 2004 (call for pricing), its plant design suite, which is fully compatible with AutoCAD 2004 and offers many new features. CADWorx 2004 works with larger plant models and offers faster load and save times, enhanced xref...

3D plant design. (Software: general/aec).
May 1, 2003... Intergraph Process, Power & Offshore released SmartPlant 3D Advanced Plant Design Software (call for pricing), featuring improved usability, a database architecture, and rules-based design. Other features include global work sharing, design...

AEC/GIS Interoperability. (GITA report).
May 1, 2003... The worlds of GIS and AEC often overlap in industries such as transportation, utilities, and municipalities--and each of these worlds is unique. An AEC/GIS Interoperability Initiative between Bentley (www.bentley.com) and ESRI (www.esri.com),...

Map viewer. (Software: gis/aec).
May 1, 2003... Universal Map announced SmartMaps Viewer 2.0 (call for pricing), an advanced Web mapping solution that uses SVG (scalable vector graphics) for display. SmartMap Viewer 2.0 provides searchable, intelligent graphics and an interactive display of...

GIS client. (Software: gis/aec).(Hitachi Software Global Technology's Any*GIS CAD)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Hitachi Software Global Technology released Any*GIS CAD Client (call for pricing), which lets you work within AutoCAD with seamless access to GIS data sources from ESRI, Intergraph, MapInfo, and Smallworld. It also interfaces to spatial...

Construction management. (Software: gis/aec).
May 1, 2003... ECL Software, formerly Eclectus, announced Simply Construction Professional Edition v5.1 (contact company for pricing), which offers several accounting enhancements. Simply Construction is a construction management database that provides...

Calendar.
May 1, 2003... E-mail calendar items to editors@cadalyst.com AIA Convention 2003 May 8-10, 2003 San Diego, CA www.aiaconvention.com COFES 2003 May 15-18, 2003 Scottsdale, AZ www.cofes.com 2003 Bentley International User Conference...

AEC caddies visualization at its best.
May 1, 2003... Every year we're overwhelmed with entries for our AEC Caddies awards. Our judges commented on the high quality of work and the difficulty they faced judging this year's entries. Judge Ed Goldberg says, "In the Caddies we really see that digital...

Printer power: four top-notch inkjet printers. (cadalyst labs feature review).(Canon's imagePROGRAF W7250, EPSON's Stylus Pro 10600, HP's DesignJet 1055CM Plus, and Roland's CAMMJET CJ-500)(Hardware Review)(Product/Service Evaluation)
May 1, 2003... The large-format printer market resembles the consumer inkjet printer market--there are multiple players, and their names are all familiar: Canon, Epson, Hewlett-Packard, and Roland. This year, Cadalyst Labs reviews Canon's imagePROGRAF W7250,...

imagePROGRAF W7250. (cadalyst labs feature review).(from Canon)(Hardware Review)(Product/Service Evaluation)
May 1, 2003... IMAGEPROGRAF W7250 CANON 5 STARS OUT OF 5 Canon, one of the pioneers in color inkjet technology, has produced inkjet products since the late 1980s. Its large-format inkjet printers follow through with a tradition of quality. The...

Stylus Pro 10600. (cadalyst labs feature review).(from Epson)(Hardware Review)(Product/Service Evaluation)
May 1, 2003... STYLUS PRO 10600 EPSON 5 STARS OUT OF 5 Epson's history as a printing technology pioneer is well known. The 10600 is the top model in the EPSON Stylus Pro large-format printer line. It accommodates 440 media and is the only printer...

HP DesignJet 1055CM Plus. (cadalyst labs feature review).(Hardware Review)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... HP DESIGNJET 1055CM PLUS HEWLETT-PACKARD 4 STARS OUT OF 5 The HP Designjet 1055CM Plus falls toward the upper end of the popular and extensive Designjet line. Capable of handling sheet sizes ranging from 8.30-360 wide, the 1055CM Plus...

CAMMJET CJ-500. (cadalyst labs feature review).(fro Roland DGA)(Hardware Review)(Product/Service Evaluation)
May 1, 2003... CAMMJET CJ-500 ROLAND DGA 4 STARS OUT OF 5 The Roland CAMMJET CJ-500 is not only a printer--it's a sign-making machine that prints, cuts, and plots. The CJ-500 is part of an extensive line of sign-making machines, including the PRO,...

Too late for testing--new printers from HP, Seiko/Paradigm. (cadalyst labs feature review).
May 1, 2003... HP announced the Designjet 100 printer that combines standard desktop printing with the ability to feed in sheets as wide as 240 for occasional wide-format jobs. Priced at $995, the Designjet 100 is aimed at small offices and individual CAD...

DataCAD 10 for architects: popular 2D and 3D design tool won't tax your current hardware. (cadalyst labs review).(Software Review)(Product/Service Evaluation)
May 1, 2003... I've been partial to DataCAD since the days of its buggy 3.xx versions, which ran in DOS. As the program has evolved, it has kept its trademark traits. It's fast, easy to draw with, and easy on your equipment budget. It handles brick-and-stick...

Iiyama Pro Lite 4821DT: 190 LCD flat-panel display. (First look reviews: brief hands-on product reviews).(Hardware Review)(Product/Service Evaluation)
May 1, 2003... Iiyama's Pro Lite 4821DT 190 LCD display provides excellent color reproduction and first-rate image geometry. Housed in a stylish case, the monitor features a 0.2830.28mm dot pitch, a maximum resolution of 128031024, and a contrast ratio of...

Design Extension for 3ds max: design visualization tools for 3ds max. (first look reviews: brief hands-on, product reviews).
May 1, 2003... When Discreet's 3ds max and Autodesk VIZ diverged as products, 3ds max evolved its core modeling, animation, and rendering features with additional capabilities specific to game design and film and video effects while VIZ offered AEC-oriented...

Virtual prototyping pays off: digital product mockups help identify design flaws. (Modeling: 3D solid modeling fundamentals).
May 1, 2003... Virtual prototyping (also called systems performance modeling) refers to the design, simulation, and testing of new ideas, concepts, products, schemes, or processes in a synthetic but interactive computer environment. Systems performance...

Essential presentation tools: multimedia options help sell your designs. (aec tools: master the architect's desktop).
May 1, 2003... Each year for the last three years, I've covered the progress of multimedia options for architects and engineers. My latest list of recommended products to assist digital presentation covers three capabilities increasingly in demand: real-time...

Manage those layers: change is easy with AutoCAD's layer management tools. (Learning curve: strengthen your knowledge of AutoCAD commands).
May 1, 2003... Captain LearnCurve was packing his scuba gear in preparation for his upcoming trip to the Dominican Republic with his beautiful wife. He carefully laid each component in his gear bag, building up layers so the more delicate equipment such as...

MicroStation VBA for AutoCAD users: common language automates tasks. (Lessons in programming: how to customize AutoCAD).
May 1, 2003... CAD departments often must exchange drawing files between AutoCAD and MicroStation. You may use subcontractors who work with MicroStation or have clients who require final as-builts in MicroStation. However it happens, when you find yourself in...

Batch plot bother: batch plot drawings in AutoCAD LT 2002. (AutoCAD clinic: AutoCAD Helpline answers your support questions).
May 1, 2003... I use a script file to batch plot drawings in AutoCAD LT 2002. Frequently, the script stops because someone has a drawing open. When a file is in use, AutoCAD LT displays is currently in use or is read-only. Would you like to open the file...

Tips from our readers. (hot tip harry).
May 1, 2003... $50 BONUS WINNER CHANGE BLOCKS Tip #1870 [cbt.lsp, cbt.dcl] This routine and its associated dialog box help you alter the linetype, LTSCALE, and lineweight of predefined block elements. Linetype choices must be from those already...