CAD Manager's Newsletter (#162)

CAD Housekeeping Tips – Part 2

Combine cleanup with archiving to establish a regular housecleaning schedule.

In the last issue of CAD Manager's Newsletter, I doled out a few CAD housekeeping tips to help you control the digital clutter that accumulates in CAD environments. I received a good bit of e-mail feedback on those tips that I'd like to share with you. Below are some reader responses, which seemed to fall into two main categories, along with some follow-up comments for each.

Reader Feedback: Issue warnings to the offenders before the cleanup begins.

A number of readers recommended that, since they already knew who was creating most of the CAD mess, those users should be sternly warned before cleanup efforts begin, giving them a chance to straighten out their own messes. It seems that the trend was to say, "I'll give you one chance to clean it up and follow standards or I will turn you in." I see no problem with this approach, and if it works for you in your environment, that's great. The only concern I'd point out is that if you issue the ultimatum, you'd better be ready to turn the violators in if they don't comply.

Reader Feedback: I like the approach to CAD housekeeping, but I can't get my project managers to let me enforce the rules.

:: CAD Manager's Q&A

We've been moving toward using 3D tools for a while, but I've got some users who just won't give up their 2D tools. What can I do to break the logjam?

Robert Green replies: The first thing I'll point out is that in any 2D-to-3D migration, you'll find the following categories of users:

• Those who adopt 3D right away with enthusiasm (power users)
• Those who adopt 3D after the power users (most users)
• Those who try to adopt 3D, yet have trouble learning (just a few)
• Those who just don't want 3D no matter what (also just a few).

My recommendation is to get the first two categories of users going with 3D tools in a productive fashion before you spend too much time worrying about the latter two categories. Once you get your power users up and running, you'll have some help in performing day-to-day support assistance that will help you get most users on board and productive. Read more>>

Submit your questions to Robert Green at rgreen@greenconsulting.com.

:: Resources

SOA Technology Report
CIMdata's free report, Service-Oriented Architecture for PLM -- An Overview of UGS' SOA Approach, provides a description of SOA (service-oriented architecture) and its benefits, discusses how it is used to enable PLM, and examines how UGS is adopting SOA throughout its product suite.

Online Knowledge Base
Geomagic has launched the Geomagic Knowledge Base. The Geomagic Knowledge Base, currently in beta, is a customer resource for knowledge sharing on Geomagic software and its application in DSSP (digital shape sampling and processing).

:: Events

Cadalyst's complete list of upcoming industry events is always available on our Web site

ESI Group CFD Training
Various 2006 and 2007 dates
Various locations
ESI Group has added 2007 dates to its training schedule. The company's CFD (computational fluid dynamics) training solution takes basic, intermediate and advanced training needs into consideration. Read more

North American Symposium on the Integration of Analysis in Product Design
November 13, 2006
Chicago, Illinois
In a roundtable format, industry leaders will share their vision for the future of analysis as an integrated component in product design. Attendees will have the opportunity to hear directly from the developers about how they plan to handle integration challenges in coming years. Read more 

RhinoMarine Seminar
November 14, 2006
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Representatives from Proteus Engineering, McNeel Europe, Design Systems & Technologies and RhinoCentre NL will present the capabilities of the latest versions of Rhino and RhinoMarine during this no-cost seminar. Read more 

Microdesk Go Vertical Tour
November 14 and 16, 2006
Connecticut and Pennsylvania locations
Microdesk is offering a free seminar on the benefits of BIM (Building Information Modeling) with its Go Vertical Tour. Read more

FEA and CFD: Challenges and Best-Modelling Practices for the Aerospace Industry
November 15, 2006
Anaheim, California
This industry-focused workshop will bring together analysts from across the aerospace industry to discuss, review and discover best-modelling practices, while highlighting the challenges that all users of analysis, and their management, should be considering. Read more

ESPRIT World Conference 2007
May 8-11, 2007
Newport Beach, California
ESPRIT World Conference 2007 is the basis upon which the company will launch the next version of ESPRIT. The foundation of the program will be education and technical training on this new version. Read more

:: What's New at Cadalyst.com

New! Cadalyst to Award $100 Monthly to Selected Tipsters
Cadalyst announces a new prize program for those who contribute tips to its Tips & Tools Weekly e-newsletter. Cadalyst editors will continue to award an official Cadalyst T-shirt to the contributor of every original published tip and, effective immediately, will also randomly select one of those contributors each month to receive $100.

Visualization Software Roundup
If you're in the market for visualization software, you'll want to take a look at October's Cadalyst Labs Review, "Make It Real -- Visualization Software Brings Designs to Life." Reviewer Ron LaFon discusses how today's visualization software can mimic reality with amazing results, offering an overview of software from Abvent, ASGvis, auto-des-sys, Luxology, NewTek, Robert McNeel and Associates, and Okino Computer Graphics.

Cadalyst Daily Update
For all the latest news and new products, subscribe to Cadalyst Daily
e-newsletter. Plus, every issue includes a feature you won't find anywhere else -- hardware and CAD software reviews, success stories, AutoCAD tips and much more! Here's a sample of what you missed recently: 

• Event Report: DBIA Conference and Expo: Design-Build Institute of America program showcases BIM for first time ever.

• PTC Closing in on $1 Billion Annual Revenue: Company brings in $855 million for 2006, calling it 'an exceptional year.'

• Dassault Systemes Reports 29% Jump in Q3 Revenue: Financial update reflects acquisition of Abaqus, MatrixOne.

• Do's and Don'ts of Publishing Online Parts Catalogs: Offering downloadable 3D CAD files for product designers is a smart business move, but it's not necessarily easy.