MCAD Tech News (#264)

Get Lean with Automated 3D Data Transformation

With tough economic times forcing manufacturers to trim expenses, companies can find help from tools such as Anark Core.

We are living in an extraordinary period of time. The economic climate has become a global problem that affects most industries and companies alike, leaving many without jobs. Companies are searching for new ways to cut costs and to stay competitive.

Manufacturing companies are focused on finding ways to increase the efficiency of their operations. Many are seeking new and innovative solutions to solve age-old issues of how to work leaner, faster, and smarter. In today's economic climate, companies need to focus their energies, take a hard look at their operations, and seek out solutions that can solve multiple problems across their organizations. For many manufacturers, these problems involve CAD interoperability. These companies seek new and innovative ways to share their product design data in less time and at a lower cost.

CAD Interoperability
Sharing product design data with internal or external organizations is a multidimensional challenge. CAD data interoperability, intellectual property protection, version control, and process automation are issues as old as the CAD industry itself, and companies struggle with them daily. Designers must find a way to exchange CAD data with others so they can read it, view it, and use it successfully. Few issues present a larger impediment to manufacturers, and even fewer issues waste more time and money.

If you're sharing CAD files with suppliers, partners, or other internal groups, or if you rely on CAD data supplied to you from an original equipment manufacturer (OEM), the right software can solve any interoperability problems and increase not only the efficiency of your CAD file-sharing process but also your overall operational success.  Read more »

Solid Edge Tutorial: Convert Traditional Solid Edge Models to Synchronous

By Russell Brook

In a previous article, I looked at Solid Edge with Synchronous Technology in detail and how best to adopt Synchronous Technology. To help you choose when to use Synchronous Technology, safeguard you existing data, and meet current deadlines this latest version of Solid Edge provides two distinct ways to work. This month I’ll be taking a look at how to convert traditional history-based Solid Edge models to synchronous.

If you are looking for more efficient ways of working, edit existing parts more easily or simply want to try out new modeling strategies using existing data, Synchronous Technology is the place to start and converting existing traditional files is a simple process.

Modeling using Synchronous Technology allows you to edit your designs without concern for the feature order to make instant changes and there's no need to preplan your designs. At the same time you can add 3D driving dimensions to maintain design intent and because live rules monitor geometric conditions you are able to simple drag geometry at will and have related faces update in the same edit.  Read more »

Mark Your Calendar: MCAD Events

AVEVA Viewpoint Americas 2009 Users Conference

May 3-5, 2009
Galveston, Texas
This year's conference is built around the theme of "Getting Down to Collaboration." It offers tips, insights, and testimonials designed to help attendees make the most of AVEVA's integrated software. Read more »

For a complete list of CAD meetings, conferences, training sessions, and more, check out our calendar of events on Cadalyst.com.

What’s New at Cadalyst.com

Lynn Allen's Circles & Lines: AutoCAD 2010 Makes Everyday Drawing Easier
Updates to layer colors, hatching, line conversions, purge, and more will help speed up common tasks. Read more

CAD Manager's Journey into 3D, Part 3
A deeper look into the numbers reveals probable reasons behind 3D's slow acceptance. Read more

Training Not a Priority? (CAD Manager's Toolbox)
Contrary to what you might think, you really can maintain a training program during hard times. Read more