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Featured

PTC Helps SEAT Sport Win FIA World Touring Car Championship

December 9, 2008 By 3DCAD Editor Leave a Comment

NEEDHAM, MA — PTC (Nasdaq: PMTC) The Product Development Company®, announced that SEAT Sport, the motor sport division of the Spanish car manufacturer SEAT based in Barcelona, has won this year’s FIA World Touring Car Championship (WTCC) in a car developed with PTC software. Body, chassis and engine of the popular SEAT Leon were redesigned and optimized using PTC’s Product Development System (PDS), including its integrated 3D CAD/CAM/CAE software, Pro/ENGINEER, and content and process management software, Windchill. Thanks to PTC’s leading technology, SEAT Sport has experienced continuous improvement of the cars’ performance over the last years, winning the Driver’s and the Manufacturer’s titles in 2008 for the first time.

SEAT-leon.jpg

The FIA WTCC is similar to Formula One, but for real world cars that have to be produced in at least 25,000 units a year. To safeguard competition among manufacturers and restrict development costs, regulations of what components may be changed and to what extent are stricter than in any other FIA competition. Form and thickness of the shell, for instance, have to be identical to the commercial car, though it is permitted to improve aerodynamics. The components of a suspension may be substituted by similar parts of different materials, but the structural concept has to be the same. The new 280 hp 2000cc turbo diesel engine, must be taken from serial production, but moving parts such as crankshafts, flywheels, pistons, etc., may be fine-tuned to enhance performance and reliability.

Engineers at SEAT Sport relied heavily on Pro/ENGINEER to redesign the engine and suspension, to create the tubular structure that reinforces the cockpit and to model the complex free form surfaces of wings and body components destined to enhance the aerodynamics. All critical components were simulated under worst case conditions, using the closely integrated thermal and structural analysis tools. The unique capabilities in the Pro/ENGINEER Behavioral Modeling Extension (BMX) allowed them to optimize the geometry of some parts under physical constraints such as weight and mass inertia in a matter of minutes. “PTC’s Product Development System has strongly contributed to shorten our design iterations and to get things right the first time. It allowed us to bring a competitive car to the circuit in only five months”, said Jaime Puig, managing director of SEAT Sport.

From Formula One to NASCAR to America’s Cup sailing, the world’s best performance teams partner with PTC to support their advanced and demanding design, development and manufacturing projects. PTC is extremely successful in the various international Touring Championships which require fast adaptation of the production cars to the racing requirements. Recently Audi Sport won the international DTM championship in an Audi 4 DTM car developed and optimized with PTC technology.

www.ptc.com

::Design World::

Source: :: Design World ::

Filed Under: Company News, Design World, Featured

RedEye Unveils World’s First Full Scale Custom Motorcycle

December 9, 2008 By 3DCAD Editor Leave a Comment

RedEye, a business unit of Stratasys (NASDQ: SSYS), unveiled the world’s first full scale custom motorcycle, created entirely from using rapid prototype parts, at Autodesk University 2008.

redeye-motorcycle.jpg

Autodesk University (AU) is the annual user conference & exhibition for Autodesk, Inc, the world leader in 2D and 3D design software for the manufacturing, building and construction, and media and entertainment markets. The custom chopper was unveiled during the AU Design Innovation welcome presentation. The purpose of the session is to give engineers and designers a compelling glimpse of the future of design innovation and see some of the technologies that are changing the way design is done across the world.

During the welcome presentation, Autodesk featured on large-screen monitors a contiguous process showing the timeline from initial concept through design, to rendering, ultimately leading to physical design verification in the form of a true full-scale Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) prototype chopper, which was lowered from the ceiling on cables. Autodesk celebrated this achievement with an announcement that it is now possible to generate 3D prints like the motorcycle directly from within AutoCAD, one of the world’s leading design and documentation platforms. This web service links to RedEye over the web, allowing prints to be created then sent back to the AutoCAD user.

“The audience was awestruck during the presentation by first viewing the initial model and rendering on a large screen to seconds later watching the full-scale prototype slowly emerge from stories above,” says Stratasys CEO Scott Crump.

The prototype chopper included many fully functional parts, including: articulating steering, illuminating headlights, and rotating wheels, demonstrating how the FDM process can give designers the functionality they look for in quality production parts. Built using ABS M30 high-strength, production-grade thermoplastic, the chopper components were tough enough to suspend the bike from two stories above. Furthermore, the chopper’s exterior vibrantly displayed the designer’s true vision of color for each part.

www.redeyeondemand.com

MPF

Source: :: Make Parts Fast ::

Filed Under: CAD Industry News, Featured, Make Parts Fast, Rapid Prototyping

Mastercam X3 Mill

December 5, 2008 By 3DCAD Editor Leave a Comment

Tolland, CT –Mastercam X3 Mill offers expanded machining
flexibility and an increased emphasis on speed and automation. Feature
Based Machining, new high speed tool motion, and faster toolpath
generation combine with dozens of additional new enhancements in a
package intended to improve shop floor productivity.

x3-mill.jpg

Here are some of the most significant highlights and new functionality in Mastercam X3 Mill:

Feature Based Machining (FBM) – Almost every shop deals with
solid models, and Mastercam delivers a powerful way to automatically
mill and drill these parts. Valuable for experienced power users and
easy enough for new users, FBM evaluates a part’s features and
automatically designs an effective machining strategy. FBM can detect
solid machining features for pocketing, contouring, and drilling
routines. FBM will machine pockets using new 2D HST roughing, rest
mill, and finish operations; automatically create drilled, tapped,
counterbore, and countersink holes; automatically perform spot drilling
and pre-drilling based on user controlled settings; and much more. And
all toolpaths are fully associative and editable after creation.

2D High Speed Toolpaths – The success of Mastercam’s 3D high
speed toolpaths leads to new high speed machining expressly for 2D
machining. Although optimized for high speed cutting and hard milling,
these new 2D toolpaths offer many additional benefits including
superior finish and longer tool life. These new toolpaths can make your
processes more efficient and automated, while minimizing programming
and cycle times.

Enhanced Multiaxis Functions – Mastercam X3 improves multiaxis
toolpath speed and introduces new High Speed Toolpath controls that
make programming more efficient. Both the Port5ax and Flow5ax toolpaths
include a new feature that allows an overlap/blend to be added at the
beginning and end of a toolpath.

Mastercam in SolidWorks – This powerful new X3 package brings
the most popular Mastercam toolpaths directly into SolidWorks.
Designers who work with the world’s leading CAD system can now program
those parts with the world’s leading CAM toolpaths in the same
interface. Mastercam in SolidWorks includes a suite of cutting
strategies, including Feature Based Machining, high speed machining,
and a set of automated cleanup toolpaths. This package will be released
shortly after Mastercam X3.

Other new enhancements include:

– Import full SolidWorks history trees

– Expanded support for cutting STL files

– CAD enhancements

– 3D high speed toolpath enhancements

www.mastercam.com

::Design World::

Source: :: Make Parts Fast ::

Filed Under: CAD Industry News, Featured, Make Parts Fast, Rapid Prototyping

3D CAD and Model-centric design

December 5, 2008 By 3DCAD Editor Leave a Comment

A landmark study from Aberdeen Group reports that 85% of the current CAD users still primarily use 2D drafting. This astonishing statistic means that most companies use CAD software as a drafting tool to create orthographic views to represent 3D objects.

aberdeencallout.jpg
Study by the Aberdeen Group shows that 3D modeling and digital prototyping save time and money and avoid mistakes during design.

Drawings alone are no longer adequate to capture the design innovations that engineers create.  So why are we still using an approach that is open to interpretation while better methods exist that provide lower risk and higher cost efficiency? To ride the next wave of technology improvement, we should focus on adopting Model-Based Design to reap the benefits from design concept through the manufacturing phase.

What is it?
Model-based (or -centric) design is an approach that puts 3D models at the center of design. It uses a set of standards and processes created specifically to employ 3D models as the design authority and the source for all design data. These processes create a framework that allows engineers to maximize their companies’ ROI on their existing CAD software. Because the 3D model is the central source of design data, it becomes accessible by all team members and the flow of information is released as soon as the design cycle begins. In essence, Model-Based Design opens a larger pipeline, allowing the team to receive, understand, and evaluate designs faster than the traditional step-by-step approach.

Current users find that Model-Based Design (MBD) breeds a parallel collaborative design environment, modernizing the development life cycle while reducing cost and risk.

Model-Based Design does not eliminate drawings, but rather forces the use of mathematically accurate, 3D CAD models as the source for all design data. If drawings are required as a form of communication, they can be generated from the data already warehoused in the 3D CAD models. The advantage is that we design, document and control a 3D object, which is what the hardware becomes, instead of designing, documenting and controlling on a flat piece of paper.

This is especially critical for aerospace designers who, once their product is launched, do not have the opportunity to remedy design failures. However, the concept of advancing the process by which we create hardware is pertinent to all industries.

circleofpeople.jpg
The Model-based design cycle is based on accurate digital models that are accessible by all organizations that need the data.


Who benefits?

Like the aerospace industry, automotive and medical-device companies also have high stakes in the form of human life and costly repair or recall programs. Model-Based Design offers advantages for commercial markets to increase productivity and reduce time to market. Defense and aerospace industries benefit by possessing a competitive edge spawned from reduced assembly schedules and increased mission success. This strategy promotes customer loyalty.

How does it work?
In its simplest form, MBD means a model is created with all its features and integrated into the next assembly. These steps are repeated until a full top level assembly is created. The parts contain full feature detail and assemblies are managed for low and high fidelity. The models themselves are then reviewed, checked, released and maintained in a configuration management system. In addition, CAD modeling standards are enforced on each and every model throughout the design life cycle, including manufacturing and as built redlines.

MBD instructs that 3D models are the design authority, meaning they are the source of all information related to the component, sub-assembly and assembly and become the database for the system design.

The key step is to ensure that each part and subassembly CAD model is checked against CAD & manufacturing standards, and reviewed for compatibility at the next higher assembly. Once this is complete, the CAD model can be officially released, locked down, and maintained through configuration management.

The collaboration that MBD forces between various design groups offers a challenge, but one that is necessary to competitively and reliably produce complex systems like spacecraft, aircraft, medical instruments and automobiles. The increase in information bandwidth to all team members will free them to focus on the challenges of the technology they are working to develop.

Tolerances, materials and notes that are traditionally illustrated on a drawing can be represented in 3D models. In fact, the goal is not only to maintain that data, but to also enhance and deepen the viewers’ understanding of the components and assemblies. Storing as much data as possible in a 3D CAD model and making it readily accessible by designer, analysts, machinist, systems engineer, checker, and the like has the potential to revolutionize hardware products, materials, and notes.

What are the benefits?
Today, most manufacturers still receive 2D drawings from their customers. In many cases they recreate the 3D models from the 2D drawing to program their CNC machine tools. Standard 3D file formats such as STEP files can reliably transfer mathematically accurate files to the manufacturer with the additional benefit that these formats also maintain assembly hierarchy. Thereby, eliminating the need for conversion by a manufacturer and reducing translation errors. The following stoplight table compares the advantages of a MBD strategy with traditional drawing-based design methods.

Easily achievable rewards from MBD include automatic BOM creation, improved communication process between designers, analysts, and technicians, and increased accuracy for form-fit-and-function evaluations. In addition, MBD allows for direct paths to 3D printing and assembly simulation prototyping.

Finally, companies and industries are looking to entice a new work force and fresh, innovative thinking.  Since drafting skills are not emphasized in college engineering programs, a more modern design strategy may assist in recruiting and training young engineering talent into their organizations.

Graphic1.jpg
Traditional design cycle depends on people to gather the information and make sure it is transmitted accurately for the next step in the process.

How does it happen?
Fully implemented Model-Based Design does need not be adopted all at once. Companies may choose to transition in phases. As long as a well-designed logical plan is in place, benefits can still be achieved at each of the three levels of implementation. Phasing in the adoption of Model-Based

Design is a sound approach towards the goal of fully institutionalizing it.

Change from traditional processes and cultures is a challenge to any organization and yet these fears can be addressed with sound procedures and a phased implementation. By engaging the engineers early in the process and demonstrating the benefits of Model-Based Design, organizations have the opportunity to reap tremendous efficiency in their design development cycle.

As engineers, we are drawn to our field because we do not shrink from challenge and can attack this like a new frontier to explore. Accepting the challenge to change to Model-Based

Design is easy, compared to the science and dedication that is required to build innovative, reliable hardware. It focuses on making the easy stuff easy, and allows time to be spent on the hard stuff.

Model-Based Design is not rocket science; it’s just sound process.

Drawing Based Design Model Based Design
Geometry Represented in 2D only 3D Geometry Visualization
Dimensions Documented in 2D only Documented in 3D
Dimensions associated to actual features and surfaces
Tolerances Documented in 2D only Documented in 3D
Tolerances associated to actual features and surfaces
Notes Identified in 2D only Documented in 3D
Notes directly associated to features and surfaces
BOM Manual, prone to maintenance errors Auto-generated with model part count and associate material data
Rapid Prototype 2D representation interpreted and translated into 3D printers / machine tools Direct transfer of mathematically accurate 3D models to 3D printers
Form, Fit, Function & Tolerance Analysis Tedious evaluation of 2D representations 3D Visualization and Evaluation
Analysis Inefficient communication from designer to analyst to achieve parallel analysis Provides instantaneous 3D access to geometry, tolerance and material data. Provides 3D model for translation into Finite Element Models (FEM)
Checking Evaluations of 3D hardware but represented only in 2D Evaluations and Checks can be done with 3D visualization
Manufacture 2D representation interpreted and translated into 3D machine tool 3D Visualization for Machinist and Quality Engineers
Direct transfer of mathematically accurate 3D models
Assembly & Test 2D representations are only available 3D Visualization aids in accurate assembly
Resulting hardware exactly reflects design intent
Configuration Management & Documentation Maintenance Performed via paper redlines with no guarantee that models will be updated Direct changes to models forces consistency for configuration management
R&D Logs Part & Assembly History Requires 2D drawing History of parts and assemblies can be stored and viewed in the CAD model and is tied to configuration management and revision control.
Archives Only available as pdf or paper archives Electronic database with endless backup capability
Paper drawings and pdfs can be auto-generated from model dimensions, tolerances, notes and BOMs
Development Life Cycle Time & Cost Steps required to translate ideas from 3D to 2D and back to 3D Leaves final 3D verification to production phase Reduces time for translation steps
Reduces errors from translations
Reduces during production non-conformances
Improved product because of front end team development

How Model-centric design can sidestep failure

This hypothetical example shows how MBD avoids potentially catastrophic problems. Imagine a spacecraft assembled from 10,000 parts. Using MBD assembly-compatibility checklists, a master-modeler evaluates clearances between cables and structure for installation of an electronics box. This assembly procedure occurs late in the flow. During his checks, he discovers a connector that is too close to the structure and likely to incur damage upon installation. This early awareness allows the design to be revised. The CAD models are adjusted to reroute the cable and the change is sent to the cable and structure documentation. Cautionary flags are also added to the assembly documentation to provide an installation caution for that area.

By using the revised design and documentation, the cable is properly built and the technicians are alerted to the installation caution during assembly and are able to prevent any damage to the connector.

Without MBD, the cable could have impacted nearby structure during installation, because of the close tolerances. This impact causes the conductor in the cable to crack. Because the cable is buried deep inside the spacecraft, it is missed by visual inspection. The damage is never discovered because the spacecraft passes ambient tests and the assembly proceeds. However, once the spacecraft is launched, the conductor in the cable fails because of launch vibrations. The conductor discontinuity renders the uplink/downlink communication inoperative and ultimately results in failure to communicate with ground stations. The consequence is mission failure.

The existing traditional design cycle might have caught this problem; or it might have missed it. It relies on compatibility and tolerance checks via a checker evaluating 2D drawings. This process often results in missed interferences. Model-Based Design allows these checks to be performed in a 3D virtual environment, thereby increasing the probability that these types of close calls are prevented in the manufacturing stage of the design cycle.

Action Engineering
www.action-engineering.com

.: Design World :.

Source: :: Design World ::

Filed Under: Company News, Design World, Featured

A Greener Recipe for Clean Drinking Water

December 1, 2008 By 3DCAD Editor Leave a Comment

CONCORD, Mass.– Which would you prefer in your drinking water: bleach or light?

That’s the easy choice made every day by residential, commercial, and municipal customers of Trojan Technologies, a Canadian company whose systems disinfect drinking water with ultraviolet light. More than 60 designers and engineers at Trojan use SolidWorks® 3D CAD software and SolidWorks Flow Simulation software from Dassault Systèmes SolidWorks Corp. (DS SolidWorks) to custom-design and configure systems for each client.

trojan-uv-image.jpg

“We’re not adding anything to the water, we’re just shining light through it to alter the DNA structure of harmful microorganisms like E.coli, Giardia, and Cryptosporidium, effectively destroying the reproductive systems in the cells,” said Jason Cerny, one of the company’s senior mechanical designers. “SolidWorks and SolidWorks Flow Simulation software are important tools in this endeavor, letting us create better systems faster in more competitively sized packages. We no longer have to leave extensive room for error and build projects a little larger than they need to be. We’ve also dramatically reduced the number of prototypes we need to build – prototypes that can exceed $50,000 for municipal systems – as well as the errors that can crop up in projects designed in 2D.”

Based in London, Ontario, Trojan Technologies used SolidWorks to design and build the largest UV disinfection system in the world, made up of 56 water disinfection units, for the New York City Department of Environmental Protection. The facility is capable of treating up to 2.2 billion gallons of water each day.

Trojan claims the largest installed base of UV systems in operation on the planet. UV rays penetrate bacteria and viruses, destroying their ability to function and reproduce. The process is simple but effective, destroying harmful microorganisms without adding chemicals or changing the water’s taste or odor.

Trojan has used SolidWorks for a decade and, according to Cerny, now needs to build only one-third of the costly prototypes it once did. He credits the effectiveness of SolidWorks Flow Simulation software and the accuracy of 3D CAD for the improvement. Trojan has recently begun using SolidWorks Enterprise PDM software to accelerate design by working efficiently around the clock, with the implementation of an offshore engineering team in Bangalore, India.

www.solidworks.com

::Design World::

Source: :: Design World ::

Filed Under: Company News, Design World, Featured, SolidWorks

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