MCAD Tech News (#220)

Curb Redundancy, Maximize Reuse

Geometric shape search engines continue to evolve as the potential uses grow.

As popular as text search engines, such as Google, have become over the past few years, I wondered if something analogous was occurring in the MCAD world with the zillions of geometry-based parts that are continually generated. As it turns out, several are currently available on the market. Although they have not received nearly the notoriety of their text search engine counterparts, they will.

The shape search engines currently on the market differ somewhat in their underlying technology and are used for different purposes. Their potential uses continue to be discovered. For example, you could use a shape search engine to ensure that no duplicates of a design are hidden away in massive enterprise MCAD part databases. Designers could also use a shape search engine for identifying and reviewing design alternatives. Since, theoretically, shape search engines are MCAD package independent, I fully expect them to migrate to and become integrated with virtually all CAD tools in the near future. Doing so obviously will expand their potential user base within enterprises.

Let’s look at a couple of the shape search engines currently available and the companies that developed them.Read more>>

MCAD Modeling -- Where Is MCAD Going?

By Mike Hudspeth, IDSA

Let me be clear: I'm going to be discussing the state of the MCAD industry. Some people might expect financial statements and information about corporate profits and which companies bought which. But I know you aren't really interested in all that stuff. I know you, as users, want to know about things on a much simpler level. Let the CEOs fight it out over whose bottom line looks best.

We designers have jobs to do, and the one thing we all appreciate is any tool that will help us do what we do better, faster, or cheaper -- it's not rocket science. Read more>>

Mark Your Calendar: MCAD Events

Test Drives: Autodesk Inventor, AutoCAD Electrical
September 14, 2007
Various times
Various U.S. locations
Technology consulting firm Avatech Solutions invites mechanical and electrical engineers to test drive the latest Autodesk software in a series of free, hands-on training regarding some of the important features in Autodesk Inventor and AutoCAD Electrical, highlighting the updates in the new releases. Read more

MSC Software Corporation's 2007 Americas VPD Conference
October 11-12, 2007
Detroit, Michigan
Gaining Competitive Advantage through Engineering Productivity is the theme of this virtual product development (VPD) conference, dedicated to providing attendees with the latest information on the strategies and technologies they can use immediately to enhance concept development, design, simulation, testing, manufacturing, and business performance. Read more

For Cadalyst's full calendar of events, click here.

Notice: CAD Manager's Survey Now Online
It’s that time of year again to log on and take Robert Green's CAD Manager’s Survey. This annual survey measures the latest metrics and takes the pulse of the marketplace where we all work. Having taken reader feedback to heart, Robert has restructured the survey to consider more workplace factors. Please take 10 minutes to participate in the survey because more responses ultimately yield more accurate results. The CAD Manager's Survey 2007 is online now and awaiting your input.