CADalyst articles from September 2003

CADalyst archives from September 2003

Look up.(editor's window)
September 1, 2003... Lately I've heard this refrain from various sources: The business end of the operation (whatever that operation is) doesn't understand CAD. If your boss does not understand CAD, you've got an opportunity--even if he or she doesn't seem much...

Copycats.(Dialog box: readers talk to us)(Letter to the Editor)
September 1, 2003... In "Give me a break" (Dialog Box, July 2003), John Herman says that Bentley is a reactionary copying Autodesk. As a user of both AutoCAD and MicroStation for more than 10 years, I can tell you that they are both guilty of copying ideas. For...

Who's the leader?(Dialog box: readers talk to us)(Letter to the Editor)
September 1, 2003... AutoCAD Release 12 had no real time zoom, and nothing new truly appeared until Release 14. Release 13 received comments like, "Looks like MicroStation." MicroStation v5.0 had a fully functional form of xclip as well as real time zoom. Yes, I...

An Apple a day ...(Dialog box: readers talk to us)(Letter to the Editor)
September 1, 2003... Forget about the new Pentium 4 3GHz processor--give me the new 64-bit Dual G5 at 2GHz by Apple. Apple recently released information on its new computer (www.apple.com/power mac/), and my Christmas wish list is that Autodesk makes AutoCAD for...

What language to learn?(Dialog box: readers talk to us)(Letter to the Editor)
September 1, 2003... Let me start by saying how much I enjoyed Barry Bowen's article, "Making the Case for VBA" in the July issue, p. 45. I would like to extend your analogy of changing companies and ending up on MicroStation. What if you change companies and end...

Regen revisited.(Dialog box: readers talk to us)(Letter to the Editor)
September 1, 2003... In response to "Regen Redo" (Dialog Box, June 2003): AutoCAD has had a way to turn off the alerts since Release 14 or earlier. When the Regenauto command (or the REGENMODE system variable) is set to On (or 1), AutoCAD does regens automatically,...

So long, AutoCAD today.(Dialog box: readers talk to us)(Letter to the Editor)
September 1, 2003... I was pleased to see Bug Watch take issue with the demise of AutoCAD Today (www.cadalyst.com/exclusive/ bugs/0703bugwatch.htm). Even though the feature is widely despised, any feature finds some adherents, maybe even for unintended reasons. I...

Upgrade nightmare.(Dialog box: readers talk to us)(Letter to the Editor)
September 1, 2003... Before you blithely recommend that all Release 14 users upgrade to 2004 (CAD Manager, August 2003, p. 44), walk a mile in my shoes. I program abrasive waterjet machines for our mom-and-pop job shop, and other people's CAD files are the bane of...

B-title.(Dialog box: readers talk to us)(Letter to the Editor)
September 1, 2003... My office is looking for alternatives to Windows and is wondering if you had done, or were planning to do any reviews of linuxcad, or other linux cad software. The only reviews I have found on your site referring to linux seemed to be outdated,...

Corrections.(Correction Notice)
September 1, 2003... The Web site for KDLAB, Inc., the firm that created the August cover image, is www.kdlab.net. August's Tip #1893, Lumber Blocks, has a problem with the width column. To fix, change the key name in LUMBER.DCL from "width" to "wide":...

190 analog monitor.(hardware)
September 1, 2003... A new line of monitors from IBM includes the 190 ThinkVision C190 CRT monitor ($249) with an 180 viewable image area. The new ThinkVision line features on-screen display functions and direct access to frequently used monitor functions, an...

220 monitor.(hardware)
September 1, 2003... NEC-Mitsubishi Electronics Display of America released new 220 LCD and CRT monitors with ultrawide color gamuts and simple software adjustment interfaces (call for pricing). To display more colors than ever before, the CRT monitor supports...

Projection system.(hardware)
September 1, 2003... Fakespace Systems announced the world's first ultra high-resolution, active stereoscopic projection system that increases available pixel density up to 160031200 Ultra XGA resolution (call for pricing) to provide an extremely bright and stable...

Portable input device.(hardware)
September 1, 2003... 3Dconnexion released SpaceTraveler ($599), a portable input device that is one-tenth the size and one-third the weight of a standard motion controller, making it ideal for a notebook workstation or anywhere that small size is advantageous. It...

3D printing.(hardware)
September 1, 2003... Objet Geometries announced the Eden330 rapid prototyping system ($89,000; upgrade $18,000), which features 16-micron (0.00060) build layers and new FullCure resins that provide 3D models with greater flexibility and strength. In combination,...

Unix workstation.(hardware)
September 1, 2003... IBM announced the POWER 275 (1.0GHz, $7,350; 1.45GHz, $11,530) that features IBM's POWER41 64-bit microprocessor technology. The workstation also incorporates POWER GXT4500P and GXT6500P graphics accelerators that support OpenGL 1.2.1,...

Large measuring machine.(hardware)
September 1, 2003... ROMER CimCore's new 159 STINGER II portable coordinate measuring machine (pricing starts at $19,900 for the 69 arm) is designed for low-cost measuring, inspecting, and reverse engineering of large workpieces. The STINGER II is also available...

Mobile workstation.(hardware)
September 1, 2003... Dell announced its Precision M60 mobile workstation (starting at $2,599), which features the Intel 1.4GHz Pentium M mobile processor with Centrino wireless technology. The M60 incorporates NVIDIA's 128MB Quadro FX Go700 graphics processor, and...

Create 3D Web Content.(software: general)
September 1, 2003... TextureTools.com released TrU-View Web Editor ($49.95; viewer plug-in, free), an application that lets you place and manipulate 3D content on any Web page. You can use TrU-View Web Editor to present 3D object portfolios online, show prototype...

Translate data.(software: general)
September 1, 2003... Safe Software announced FME Suite 2003 X2 ($699; annual maintenance, $200; Professional Suite $1,999), its spatial extraction, transformation, and loading tool that translates more than 100 GIS, CAD, and database formats. New features include...

2D CAD.(software: general)
September 1, 2003... VersaCAD 2003 ($795; license, $995; unlimited corporate license plus one-year maintenance contract, $5,495) from Archway Systems features expanded file menus, a new batch translator directly accessible from within VersaCAD, and an updated...

Knowledge management.(software: general)
September 1, 2003... AEA Technology announced EASA-Enterprise Accessible Software Applications v2. A typical license includes a server license, one authoring license, and five user licenses for $30,000 a year. Nominally, EASA costs $10,000 per author and $2,000 per...

HP outlines workstation strategy.(report)
September 1, 2003... HP invited us to its facility in Fort Collins, Colorado, in May for a look at its current CAD workstation lineup. A year after its merger with Compaq, HP has consolidated its workstation offerings, with processors that range from Pentium/Xeon...

Rendering/animation.(software: aec)
September 1, 2003... You can now order Kajima Corporation's REALS v1 master rendering and animation program for architects ($429) at the Cadalog Web site. REALS offers rendering, ray-tracing, indirect light simulation, and partial rendering. It provides lighting...

Sketching plans.(software: aec)
September 1, 2003... @Last Software announced SketchUp 3.0 ($495; upgrade, $95). SketchUp 3.0 offers dimensions and annotation capabilities, curved faces and soft edges, and material transparency. You can export VRML, AVI, and MOV files. Other new features include...

Civil Design 2004.(software: aec)
September 1, 2003... Autodesk Civil Design 2004 ($2,995) is tightly integrated with AutoCAD 2004 and offers civil engineering-specific capabilities for Land Desktop 2004 software. It streamlines the design process for road and site design, grading, water, and...

SolidWorks previews SolidWorks 2004.(report)
September 1, 2003... In early July, SolidWorks unveiled the next version of its 3D solid modeling program, SolidWorks 2004, which it planned to ship in mid-August. The new version implements more than 250 customer requests, including eight of the top 10 user...

IGES Translator.(software: mcad)
September 1, 2003... CADCAM-E announced the release of an updated Unigraphics-to-IGES Translator--IGES/UG v3 ($2,950; pay-per-use, $140). IGES/UG now supports Unigraphics NX and UG Solids, which are mapped to IGES solids or trimmed surfaces. IGES/UG is a...

Part-quote plug-in.(software: mcad)
September 1, 2003... Quickparts announced a free Instant Quoting plug-in for Autodesk Inventor This plug-in lets you generate instant price quotes from inside Inventor for the manufacture of a part as a rapid prototype (SLA, SLS, FDM) or cast-urethane production...

Power system simulation.(software: mcad)
September 1, 2003... Magsoft Corp. announced PSCAD v4 ($12,000), developed by the Manitoba HVDC Research Centre, a Canadian research and development firm. PSCAD v4 simulates the design, verification, and study of all types of power systems. This release offers new...

Module-based software.(software: mcad)
September 1, 2003... Design2Launch v2, a subscription-based software system hosted by Design2Launch, is an enterprise-scale visual communications system for high-end 2D and 3D graphics designed to speed product time to market, lower product innovation costs, and...

Electromechanical systems.(software: mcad)
September 1, 2003... TurboTools announced CablEquity (call for pricing), which offers an automation process for hardware electrical systems from concept to manufacturing of integrated electronic equipment, instrumentation, and electromechanical and electrical...

Calculating volumes.(software: mcad)
September 1, 2003... I-Site released Voidworks (call for pricing), which calculates volumes using 3D laser imaging. You can import, filter, and model point cloud data from cavity monitoring systems. The final result is a solid volume. Features include smart...

CAM for Freeform shapes.(software: mcad/cam)
September 1, 2003... DP Technology announced ESPRIT SolidMill FreeForm 2003 (call for pricing), a CAM system for 3D surface and solid machining of complex freeform shapes. This new release features new advancements for 3D, including simultaneous 4- and 5-axis...

Virtual testing.(software: mcad/cam)
September 1, 2003... Lumeo Software launched the Lumeo Motion 4.0 plug-in for Pro/ENGINEER ($5,250; annual maintenance, $790; floating license, $11,500; annual maintenance, $1,750) to help mechanical design engineers create models and test them in real time....

Transfer models.(software: mcad/cam)
September 1, 2003... Engineering Geometry Systems released the SolidWorks-to-FeatureCAM Direct Model Transfer add-in. Available free of charge to FeatureCAM and SolidWorks customers, the Direct Model Transfer add-on enables push-button transfer of SolidWorks part...

CNC simulation/verification.(software: mcad/cam)
September 1, 2003... MachineWorks v6 from MachineWorks (pricing on request) is a CNC simulation and verification package designed for complex environments. The core package can check CAD data input and automatically fix certain problems. It manages hybrid...

Ham radio enthusiasts use 3D CAD to design next satellite.(on the job)
September 1, 2003... Cashing in on space flight is no longer beyond the reach of ordinary people. A group of global ham radio enthusiasts called the Radio Amateur Satellite Corp., or AMSAT, (www.am sat.org) has hammered this point home by launching more than 30...

5 dynamite displays: now's the time to upgrade your monitor.
September 1, 2003... To paraphrase the old saying, "The more things change, the more they stay the same," the theme of this month's roundup of big monitors for CAD is "The more things change, the more they become like one another." Most of the monitors in this...

Cornerstone peripherals technology.(P1750 monitor)(Product/Service Evaluation)
September 1, 2003... P1750 CORNERSTONE PERIPHERALS TECHNOLOGY 5 stars out of 5 The Cornerstone P1750 monitor is one of two monitors in this roundup to receive a five-star rating. The P1750 features resolutions up to 204831536 at an 85Hz refresh rate...

Hewlett-Packard.(P1130 CRT monitor)(Product/Service Evaluation)
September 1, 2003... P1130 CRT HEWLETT-PACKARD 5 stars out of 5 One of two monitors in this roundup to earn a five-star rating, the 210 HP P1130 features FD Trinitron technology, offers a 19.80 viewable area, and produces resolutions up to 204831536...

IBM.(IBM P275 monitor)(Product/Service Evaluation)
September 1, 2003... P275, 6652-U3N IBM 4 stars out of 5 The IBM P275 monitor is an attractive black 210 display with a 19.80 viewing area. Like other displays evaluated here, it's based on the flat FD Trinitron tube and is capable of display...

NEC-Mitsubishi electronic display of America.(Mitsubishi DP2070SB CRT monitor)(Product/Service Evaluation)
September 1, 2003... Mitsubishi DP2070SB NEC-MITSUBISHI ELECTRONIC DISPLAY OF AMERICA 4.5 stars out of 5 The Mitsubishi DP2070SB is based on a Diamond Pro 2070SB aperture-grille CRT, a 220 display that delivers a 200 viewable area in a flat-black...

Viewsonic.(P225fb CRT monitor)(Product/Service Evaluation)
September 1, 2003... P225FB VIEWSONIC 4.5 stars out of 5 The P225fb is a 220 CRT monitor based on an FD aperture-grille Trinitron tube with a 0.24mm dot pitch and a 200 diagonal viewing area. The housing is available in flat black and beige. It...

Solid Edge steps up to surfacing: Rapid Blue technology adds hip hybrid modeling tools.(Software Review)(Product/Service Evaluation)
September 1, 2003... The latest release of EDS PLM Solutions' midrange flagship product, Solid Edge v14, has been shipping for a while, and now it's time to separate the hip from the hype. After recent releases of relatively minor upgrades to the core modeling...

AutoCAD Mechanical 2004: who said 2D is dead?
September 1, 2003... By now, everybody who designs mechanical products for a living has switched to 3D because 2D is dead, right? Hardly. For one thing, many users of 2D CAD software are perfectly comfortable, and capable, staying with 2D. Secondly, some classes of...

@Xi M Tower 64: AMD Opteron-based system.(Hardware Review)(Product/Service Evaluation)
September 1, 2003... @Xi Computer has once again produced one of the fastest systems to come through Cadalyst Labs, in this case, the first AMD 1.8GHz Opteron-based 64-bit system I've tested. Housed in a black midtower case with a transparent Plexiglas panel...

NVIDIA FX 500: entry-level graphics card.
September 1, 2003... NVIDIA has a diverse range of sophisticated graphics cards for workstations. At the top of the line, the NVIDIA Quadro FX 2000 offers dazzling speed and an equally dazzling sticker price. Though a remarkable card, it's beyond the needs and the...

AutoLib detail library manager: store, organize, and reuse AutoCAD details.
September 1, 2003... A fantastic feature of AutoCAD drawings is that you can reuse them over and over. If you draw a detail, you can use the same detail for future projects. The problem most of us face is how to find an existing detail when we need it. Even if you...

Mobile computing goes afield: software options help wireless workers stay connected.(aec tools: master teh architect's desktop)
September 1, 2003... In the year since I last wrote about CAD for the field (Cadalyst, June 2002), hardware advances have created a revolution in mobile communications. PDAs (personal digital assistants) have become much more powerful and now incorporate even...

Convert 3D polylines to 2D: see how Visual LISP saves serious coding time.(Autolisp solutions: reader-requested AutoLISP routines)
September 1, 2003... George Anderson of Eugene, Oregon, e-mailed a request to turn 3D polylines into 2D polylines. Several routines he downloaded from the Internet claimed to perform this function, but all failed to set the z coordinate to zero. This month's...

Hatch hangup: hatch patterns show up at different scales.(Autocad clinic: AutoCAD Helpline answers your support questions)
September 1, 2003... Hatch hangup Hatch patterns show up at different scales. I have a problem with hatch patterns in AutoCAD 2002. When I open existing Release 13 drawings in AutoCAD 2002 and hatch using the same pattern, then scale it, the hatch is the...

Tips from our readers.(hot tip Harry)
September 1, 2003... $50 BONUS WINNER COPY TEXT VALUES Tip #1894 [ATTRIBCOPY.LSP] This routine copies the text value of an object to another object. You can pick attributes, text strings, text within a block, and mtext. Attribcopy even copies text...