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CAD Industry News

FRAMEpro lets you bring Bosch Rexroth’s modular aluminum profile system directly into CAD environments

July 13, 2022 By WTWH Editor Leave a Comment

With the new FRAMEpro plug-in, directly transfer CAD files for Bosch Rexroth’s modular aluminum profile system elements into popular CAD environments Autodesk Inventor and SOLIDWORKS from Dassault. Users of both systems can reduce engineering time and help avoid errors from media breaks and potential incorrect entries. Automatically set connections and profile configurations and adjustments in the event of changes, intelligent macros and useful functions will save valuable time when planning and designing with Bosch Rexroth’s proven modular aluminum profile system.

FRAMEpro complements the CAD environment by integrating a library of models and data that are kept up to date by Bosch Rexroth on an ongoing basis. Because CAD data no longer need to be transferred from external sources, manual imports, transmission errors or duplicate data are now a thing of the past.

Automatic connections and intelligent macros

Intelligent macros establish connections automatically, saving time and making it easier for users who no longer need to place components themselves. Profile configuration processes are also set to automatically match connector types. Other macros make it easier to incorporate panel elements and doors.

Lean ordering processes

FRAMEpro further supports design engineers and planners with practical search, sort and filter function. The selected profiles are placed in a 3D line model – centrally or with an offset – and can also be rotated. Accessories such as connectors, cover caps, bases and wheels can then be placed on the profiles.
FRAMEpro automatically transfers all components used including profile machining processes to a parts list which can be used to request a quote or place an order. Once the construction process is complete, the plug-in also lists the strut profiles used, including the necessary sawing and drilling steps.

Automatic adjustment dimensions

If the dimensions in the 3D sketch are changed, FRAMEpro immediately adjusts the length of the placed profiles accordingly. Because all other components are connected via placing constraints, they are also automatically adjusted. This saves valuable time and resources.

All in all, the intelligent CAD plug-in, FRAMEpro, plays an important role in making it even easier to design structures using Bosch Rexroth’s modular aluminum framing portfolio and streamline ordering for a quicker time to market.

Bosch Rexroth
www.boschrexroth-us.com/framepro

Filed Under: News Tagged With: boschrexroth

How to get everyone on the same page

June 13, 2022 By WTWH Editor Leave a Comment

Making both CAD renderings and BOM information available to all systems on the factory floor and outside its doors cuts costs and raises productivity, whether the product is new or remanufactured.

Jean Thilmany, Senior Editor

For many years, a three-dimensional product remained locked inside the computer-aided design system, meaning only the engineers who had designed the model could access its associated data. Sometimes that information was shared with a select few people in manufacturing to assure engineers the part could be manufactured as defined.

In today’s digital age, manufacturers saw no reason for that information to go to waste.

They knew that model data could be used in a myriad of ways to improve efficiencies and cut costs. It could drive the build of a digital twin, for example, that mirrors how the product is operating in the real world. It could be associated with bill of material information to predict how much raw material to procure and to manage logistics.

Beyond the factory floor, marketing departments could refer to the models to answer potential customer questions. And they would certainly be a boon to service and repair people, who could consult them to learn more about a part and a product.

But freeing that information from the CAD system has come with two pretty significant drawbacks. The first is that CAD models must be essentially translated before they can be used by other software systems across the company. The second is the offer of data visualizations to any number of users. If they can see a rendering of the product, and can dive down into its individual parts they can better understand how the product works and to repair and maintain it.

And then there’s Industry 4.0, which moves to digitize the entire manufacturing plant. The move necessitates pushing product models—and the 3-D data they contain—across the extended enterprise to business systems like the enterprise resource management system.

Vermeer makes heavy-use equipment like this mini skid steer. The company recently updated the way it engineers and manufacturers work together on new product development.

“Access to 3-D models and product data across the extended enterprise has been a major barrier to collaboration for cross-functional teams for decades,” says Dan Murray, who founded Vertex. The company takes CAD information into the cloud and turns it into a high-quality rendering that is tied to the BOM.

The rendering software allows models and information to be quickly and easily shared with the ERP, the product lifecycle management, marketing, and many other business systems. That data has use beyond the factory walls. Repair and service people, for example, would easily be able to reference a simulated model on their tablet.

That’s a big key for Vertex. The rendered CAD models—no matter how intricate—are available on tablets and even smartphones, Murray says.

He showed the example of an intricate airplane model that included CAD information for every part on the aircraft, no matter how small. The rendered results were almost instantly viewable on a smartphone. Data-heavy sets like these can take several minutes to load even on a powerful desktop computer. To see the model pop up quickly and to manipulate it—zoom in on a part, move the drawing, and look up part information—in real time can actually be startling, just like the internet itself was in its early days.

For Industry 4.0, software like Vertex’s enables companies to integrate 3D visualization anywhere along the digital thread. Gartner research defines the digital thread—and by extension a product’s digital twin is “a virtual representation of a product, process, or system from inception, through production, to operation.”
The digital twin is made up of three main elements, says Mairi Kerin, a mechanical engineering professor at the University of Birmingham in England. It’s comprised of:
• a real product in real space
• a virtual product in virtual space
• the connections of data and information that tie the “products” together
For digital efforts to move forward within manufacturing, product data must be easily integrated across all the systems that will use it, says Sonal Naik, managing director of Deloitte Catalyst, a consultancy that helps startups by connecting their prototypes with a larger community,

“As manufacturers continue on their digital transformation journey, the value of having data at the fingertips of all workers—whether it’s on a factory floor or in field service—is only growing,” Naik says. “When we turn that data from text into pictures and videos, it drives even more value.”

A thread through the middle
Though the digital thread ties every stage of a product by defining it in digital forms, the term mostly refers to products in their first go-round: from initial inception to creation. What’s not as discussed is how digital transformation applies for what’s called “middle-of-life” or remanufacturing, use.

The capability to share CAD models across many types of software systems holds great potential to drive that sector forward, say industry watchers including TWI, a membership organization in Cambridge, England, that consults with remanufacturing companies, offering information on engineering, materials, and joining technologies.

Remanufacturers rebuild and recover previously sold, worn, or nonfunctional product that can be rebuilt and recovered. They do this in a number of ways, including by disassembling and cleaning the product, repairing it, or replacing worn or obsolete components, according to TWI.

The remanufactured piece can be returned to a “like-new” or even a “better-than-new” condition. The process differs from recycling in that products retain their general form, even if it includes remade parts. With recycling, the product is broken down into component parts, which are then remade into something completely new, the consultancy says.

Those in the remanufacturing industry need straightforward access to a product’s digital twin: but that’s not always so easy for products that may have been produced a while ago or those where original manufacturers can’t provide a digital twin. After all, the digital factory is still in its infancy. Many companies don’t maintain model information and visual files.

The problem is compounded by the fact that no ultimate, universal definition of the digital twin—not to mention associated standards—exists today, say a team of four researchers who write about the challenges of using a digital twin for remanufacturing in the May 2022 issue of the International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology.

At every stage of the asset’s life, there is a need to update the virtual twin to match that of the real one,” writes Kerin, lead author the manufacturing journal paper. “However, there is still a need to access data from previous key points in the asset’s life.”

To use primary digital records, including a digital twin, in middle-stage remanufacturing, the researchers propose a unified modeling language that can be applied to generic assets to be remanufactured.

For example, the original as-built CAD data the digital twin provides can help remanufacturers find a way to machine a vital part they need to remake a product.

The researchers propose what they call digital siblings, which provide information about a product at different states of creation and use. These include the data information used to make the part, of course, as well as digital data on how the part might appear in the future states and at what manufacturers call end-of-life, which is when a product can no longer be used or remade, Kerin says.

The sibling could help remanufacturers determine if a product is at the end of its life, or if it could be remade.

“That way, remanufacturers have visibility of the previous state, current state, and potential future states of the asset whether that be a component, product, system, or process,” she says.

In addition, remanufacturers can use the bill of material data tied to the sibling to ensure their product will meet the definition of “remanufactured” by matching or surpassing the “as-new” performance the BOM depicts. If their parts lists match those of the original product, remanufacturers can be pretty sure they can say their products are “good as new.”

The generic asset model the researchers propose for digital siblings would use unified modeling language (UML), which is a standard way to draw software models, sketch out designs, or document existing designs and systems. To be useful for future digital sibling users, engineers will need to denote possible future processes the part might undergo. This could be part of the UML model before the original build is released, Kerin says.

Of course, an engineer drawing an original part model can’t be expected to know how the product will be remade, but the possible future processes give insight into the recoverable parts of an asset, she says.

Engine makers, for instance, might prioritize digital siblings for valves over pistons.

“A piston seizure can cause a catastrophic failure and unrecoverable engine; however, a valve seizure is likely to need only a cylinder head replacement making remanufacturing a more realistic proposition,” Kerin says.

When a piston seizes, the entire engine goes down with it; when an engine valve seizes the part can be remade and the engine is brought back to life.

Remanufacturers could also refer to a digital sibling to help plant the remanufacturing process, which today remains fairly manual and few decisions are automated. The CAD software used for original design does automate some processes. If an engineer changes the geometry within one part area, the software updates the measurements for other areas accordingly, she adds.

The digital tool could also be used to help simulate how a product functions before remanufacture and how it will perform after its remade.

“Simulate is significant when predicting life expectancy, failure modes, and processing outcomes for remanufacturing,” Kerin says.

No more sticky notes
To see how model data can best be shared within a typical manufacturing process, take the example of Vermeer Corp., which makes industrial and agricultural equipment. The company recently implemented Vertex to help with design review and approval.

Vertex makes the software that translates CAD data into useful visualization and information accessible on many systems, including tablets and smartphones.

Design reviews across departments often required slide decks created from CAD screenshots. Of course, they were not interactive.

The most complete review of design—called the milestone review—happens at the company after a physical prototype is built, says Ethan Roth, project engineers for Vermeer’s hose and harness routing team.

“After the technicians build the prototype, every relevant group in engineering and non-engineering visually reviews it in person,” says Roth. “There was no great way for those groups to provide notes and for engineering to aggregate them.”

Vermeer had come up with a manual solution; team members placed notes on the physical prototype with change suggestions. Of course, the notes resulted in rounds of follow-up emails and procedures and could result in late-stage, expensive design changes, Roth says.

The company has improved collaboration through its move to Vertex, which gives everyone access to full-scale model visualization, he says.

Milestone design reviews can now be done using virtual prototypes because the cloud-based software doesn’t use much computing power when compared to software housed on site. Team members can now leave feedback directly within the model rather than on sticky notes.

Also, the virtual reviews ensure that physical prototypes more closely follow design intent, saving time and cost, Roth says.

Vermeer, like many other manufacturers is taking steps into its digital future. And it’s finding that, by pushing CAD data out to many other departments, it can save significant time and money.

Murray, who owns Vertex, isn’t surprised.

Expect your technician to carry a tablet and to call up a full-scale CAD model of your dishwasher in the future. That can only make repairs easier and faster—and hopefully cheaper for the person who pays the repair bill.

Filed Under: News

COMSOL announces events on simulation in biomedical technologies

May 31, 2022 By WTWH Editor Leave a Comment

COMSOL is announcing COMSOL Day: Biomedical Technologies to be held online, twice, on June 2 and June 9. On both days, the event will focus on simulation applications in medical technology, life sciences, and medical device design. In a series of technical presentations, attendees will see how COMSOL Multiphysics is being used to design biomedical devices and understand the underlying physical phenomena of these devices. Keynote speakers from L’Institut Jean Lamour (IJL), Abbott, and the University of Maryland School of Medicine will discuss the use of multiphysics simulation for device design, applications in neurostimulation, and the development of thermal therapy for brain cancer, respectively. At the June 2 event, there will also be a panel discussion on material data and its importance to biomedical simulation applications.

In addition, there will be seven COMSOL presentations at each event:

Trends in Biomedical Technologies
Blood Pump Validation
Electromagnetics Applications Within Biomedical Technologies
Ultrasound and Hearing Aids in Biomedical Technologies
Biochemical Sensors and Tests
Bioheating of Tissue
Microfluidics and Separation in Biomedical Technologies

Modeling and simulation (M&S) have been used for biotech applications for decades and are continuing to reach more ground within the industry as they further advance biomedical technologies, such as smart devices that are able to monitor various aspects of a user’s health. In fact, M&S has been recognized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a tool that plays a “critical role” in the development of public health applications, and simulation has even been proposed as a way to run in silico clinical trials.

“Simulation is growing within the biomedical field. A lot of progress has been made and there are countless success stories,” says Mao Mao, technical account manager for biomedical applications at COMSOL. “Since the FDA is supportive of its use, modeling and simulation are going to be an integral part of how medical technologies are developed in the future.”

A benchmark model of the fluid flow in a centrifugal blood pump.

The COMSOL Day: Biomedical Technologies event dates and start times are as follows:

June 2 at 10 a.m. CEST (France)
June 9 at 11 a.m. EDT (USA)

The events are open to all, and attendance is free of charge.

COMSOL Day Program Details

Participation from any region at any of the events is welcomed. All presentations are in English.

COMSOL Days are popular online events applicable to people who work in industries and areas where COMSOL Multiphysics® can benefit their modeling and simulation projects. All COMSOL Days cover a wide range of subjects, including how to turn COMSOL models into specialized simulation apps for engineers who do not have a background in modeling.

The events feature 1-day programs with keynote presentations, technical sessions, panel discussions, and more. COMSOL Days will continue throughout 2022 with multiple events held each month.

COMSOL
www.comsol.com

 

Filed Under: COMSOL, News Tagged With: COMSOL

Verisurf Software debuts new 2023 release

April 26, 2022 By WTWH Editor Leave a Comment

Verisurf Software, Inc. will be demonstrating Verisurf 2023 at Control, Stuttgart, Germany, May 3 -6, Hall 3, Stand 3312. Verisurf 2023 continues to refine metrology workflows with added features designed to reduce time and improve the efficiency of automated quality inspection and reporting, scanning, reverse engineering, and tool building.

Verisurf 2023 continues to refine metrology workflows, including automatic conversion of 3D CAD annotations to MBD feature controls. Built on a CAD platform, Verisurf software can read and edit MBD and associated intelligent GD&T.

Verisurf software is built on a CAD platform and is committed to Model-Based Definition (MBD). Verisurf 2023 takes this a step further with automatic conversion of 3D CAD annotations into MBD and intelligent Geometric Dimensioning & Tolerancing (GD&T). This new automatic feature will further reduce the time needed to set up inspection plans, reduce input errors, and increase process control.

“Working closely with our customers we balance the ongoing development of Verisurf software between enhanced productivity and repeatable process control; our focus on automation satisfies both,” said Nick Merrell, executive vice president of Verisurf.

In addition to showing the 2023 release and its many new features at Control, Verisurf will be showing various measurement, inspection, reverse engineering, and tool building applications, including:

–Coord3 programmable CMM with Renishaw, REVO 5-axis measuring system
–Robot-based 3D scanning, inspection, and quality reporting
–Master3DGage portable CMM with an optional laser scanner
–CMM Master, programmable, portable CMM solution

Verisurf Software, Inc.
www.verisurf.com

Filed Under: News Tagged With: verisurfsoftware

Collier Aerospace launches structural analysis and design optimization software

April 26, 2022 By WTWH Editor Leave a Comment

Collier Aerospace Corp. will announce at JEC World 2022, May 3-5 in Paris, France, the global debut of its new analysis and design optimization software for composite structures used in aircraft, space and automotive vehicles, and many other high-end applications. This computer-aided engineering (CAE) solution offers designers and engineers tools for balancing weight reduction with manufacturability, accelerating part development and helping to quickly achieve airframe certification by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), where applicable.

To showcase the design optimization capabilities of this leading-edge software, Collier Aerospace will feature at its booth (K44 in Hall 6) two landmark projects: a novel composite racing sailboat and a natural fiber wind turbine blade.

“We totally redesigned our software,” said Craig Collier, co-founder, CEO and president, Collier Aerospace. “It runs faster and handles larger models with a new and powerful graphics engine and underlying relational database to hold terabytes of data. Along with streamlined workflows and a redesigned modern interface, engineers can do more in less time.”


The software, which is licensed on a subscription basis, will replace HyperSizer, the company’s previous product. Existing customers will be invited to migrate to the new software. Collier Aerospace will continue to support HyperSizer throughout a customer’s transition period to HyperX.

The technology was used to size a unique, carbon fiber composite racing sailboat that will attempt to break the world sailing speed record in 2023. A 1-meter scale model of the craft will be shown at the company’s booth. The other initiative evaluated the feasibility of replacing fiberglass with flax plant-based natural fiber reinforcement in wind turbine blades to reduce the environmental impact of the application during the design phase. The software was used to size the blade and define materials and ply layups.

Collier Aerospace Corporation
collieraerospace.com

Filed Under: CAE, News Tagged With: collieraerospace

Cadence and Dassault Systèmes partner to transform electronic systems development

February 22, 2022 By WTWH Editor Leave a Comment

Cadence Design Systems, Inc. (Nasdaq: CDNS) and Dassault Systèmes (Euronext Paris: FR0014003TT8, DSY.PA) announced a strategic partnership to provide enterprise customers in multiple vertical markets, including high tech, transportation and mobility, industrial equipment, aerospace and defense, and healthcare, with integrated, next-generation solutions for the development of high-performance electronic systems.

The two companies have combined Dassault Systèmes’ 3DEXPERIENCE platform with the Cadence Allegro platform in a joint solution that enables companies to master the multidiscipline modeling, simulation and optimization of complex, connected electronic systems. With this new multidisciplinary solution, customers can now accelerate their end-to-end system development process while optimizing their design for performance, reliability, manufacturability, supply resilience, compliance and cost.

Dassault Systèmes and Cadence have been engaged in a multi-year collaboration with leading customers to prove this solution in a global production environment.

The collaborative virtual twin experiences integrate capabilities for electronic and mechanical product lifecycle management, business process analytics and multidiscipline electronic systems development, engineering and traceability.

This holistic virtual model provides a complete, real-time view of electrical and mechanical simulation, manufacturing and supply chain execution for the product lifecycle, improving decision-making and accelerating innovation, through “what-if” studies.

Products and services are increasingly interconnected and intelligent, enabling consumers, citizens and patients to unlock more personalized, engaging experiences that improve quality of life. In this dynamic context, companies must rapidly develop electronic systems that are safe, high quality and right the first time. Mastering electronic system complexity and cost/time-to-market pressures requires collaborative innovation that unites electronics, mechanics and additional functions across the value chain.

“Every industry is overwhelmed with product complexity due to electrification, security, connectivity, sustainability, AI/ML, cloud, supply chain/regulatory challenges and more,” said Tom Beckley, Senior Vice President and General Manager of the Custom IC & PCB Group at Cadence. “Cadence is the global leader for the design and analysis of complex IP, semiconductors, advanced IC packaging, PCBs and electrical systems. Combined with Dassault Systèmes’ powerful 3DEXPERIENCE platform, customers now have an opportunity to literally transform their enterprise inclusive of electronics, mechanical, manufacturing and product lifecycle management. We are excited about our strategic partnership with Dassault
Systèmes, which enables electromechanical ‘virtual twin experiences’ for rapid product realization.”

“Connected electronic systems are raising the standards in all industries in the Experience Economy, where the value of a product comes from its usage. Companies must shift from ‘product thinking’ to ‘experience thinking’ in their development processes to deliver the experiences consumers want and to succeed in this economy,” said Philippe Laufer, Executive Vice President Global Brands, Dassault Systèmes. “Our strategic partnership with Cadence will revolutionize the development of high-performance electronic systems by enabling collaboration around virtual twin experiences.”

Dassault Systèmes
www.3ds.com

Filed Under: Dassault Systemes Tagged With: dassaultsystemes

PTC provides Onshape to MassRobotics to accelerate design for robotic startups

February 17, 2022 By WTWH Editor Leave a Comment

PTC and MassRobotics announce a new collaboration that will see PTC provide free licenses of Onshape, its cloud-native product development platform, to MassRobotics and its resident startups. With Onshape, MassRobotics’ community of future-minded startups can leverage the latest in cloud product design software for robotics development.

“Our team at MassRobotics is very excited to collaborate with PTC and the amazing Onshape team to utilize the innovative capabilities of Onshape to better scale the next generation of successful robotics startups,” said Fady Saad, co-founder & VP of strategic partnerships at MassRobotics.

With simultaneous collaboration and integrated data management, Onshape enables engineers to innovate without concern of design stalls, crashes or losses. Robotic startups can use Onshape to accelerate their design processes and increase speed to market, giving them a competitive edge in today’s fast-paced economy. With Onshape, multiple MassRobotics engineers can work on their complex assemblies at the same time, allowing an entire team to instantly see edits or changes, no matter who makes them or when.

The robotics market continues to grow rapidly, with spending predicted to exceed $240 billion by 2023, according to IDC. Onshape is used for design and development by commercial robotics companies, reinforcing the value that it can bring to the MassRobotics community.

“The robotics industry is becoming more vital than ever as companies look to automation and faster processes to address supply chain disruptions and labor shortages,” said David Katzman, SVP of general operations at Onshape. “We are thrilled to provide Onshape to the innovative startups at MassRobotics as they help revolutionize the market.”

Filed Under: PTC News Tagged With: PTC

Exchange of large data volumes between 3D, CAD and VR systems

February 17, 2022 By WTWH Editor Leave a Comment

The current version of the universal converter 3D_Evolution 4.5 supports the latest JT format 10.5. The tool was specially developed for exchanging large amounts of data between the various 3D, CAD and VR systems and enables detailed CAD models to be simplified.

Conversion of Large CAD Models

For data conversion, especially in the automotive, aerospace and plant engineering sectors, it is necessary to convert assemblies of several gigabytes in size into another system format. This is now also possible for the latest JT 10.5 data format. The actual software version 3D_Evolution 4.5 SP1 hereby supports the new STT technology to quickly load a 3D preview of the entire JT model and reload sub-assemblies in the exact XT format. This gives the user an overview for selecting and converting the desired perimeters in the shortest possible time.

Useful Extra Functions

The new version of the conversion software also supports the 3D dimension information (PMI) of JT 10.5, where the 3D dimensions mark the associated reference geometry such as holes and tolerance information on the model and allows the user a better overview.

The 3D_Evolution converter has interfaces to all common systems and formats such as Catia, Creo, Nx, Solidworks, Inventor, and STEP as well as to the visualization formats Fbx, Gltf and Obj. Functions for quality analysis and data correction ensure data quality when exchanging data between the most diverse 3D systems.

The software’s optional Simplifier module automatically creates an outer shell of complex models and effectively reduces the data volumes of large assemblies and complex models. This enables fast, problem-free further processing in 3D systems. By generating the envelope geometry, the know-how is protected at the same time.

The new 3D_Evolution software version is available now.

CoreTechnologie
www.coretechnologie.com/products/3d-evolution

 

Filed Under: News Tagged With: coretechnologie

Immersive Design—A virtual reality case study

February 16, 2022 By Leslie Langnau Leave a Comment

A new Adidas maker space—located inside a giant, digital sneaker—features virtual-reality 3D design tools for long-distance design collaboration.

Jean Thilmany, Senior CAD Editor

When Adidas designers were tasked with creating a seamless sneaker, they donned their Oculus headsets and got to work in the virtual world.

The team met regularly in a large, footprint-shaped studio that existed only in a virtual world entered through the Oculus. Of course, each team member was really in separate physical spaces, but with the help of the headsets and the immersive world, they felt as though they were meeting in real life.

The move dramatically slashed time spent creating an initial mock-up: from 21 days to less than one day, says Paul Sholz, Adidas senior footwear designer.

“In the design process, you create boards to inspire you and you brainstorm together. What we did in this virtual environment was the same, but we designed the actual product,” he says.

The Harden Vol. 5, the debut shoe in the Adidas Futurenatural line of molded, seamless sneakers. Credit: Adidas

Scholz and his colleagues spoke in November 2021 at the online Around Conference. The conference sponsor, Gravity Sketch, makes a 3D-design platform hosted in virtual reality, which is the tool Adidas used to help design its Futurenatural shoes. The company gave the same name to its range of tools accessible within the immersive environment.

The one-piece, seamless sneaker line just debuted, about 18 months after the design team’s initial virtual meeting. The Futurenatural sneakers are molded rather than sewn. That is, the upper is fused to the sole with high pressure and heat to create what looks like one continual shoe, with no obvious break between the top and the bottom.

Traditionally, footwear designs often work in two-dimensions, extrapolating 2D lines to form lateral views of the proposed shoe. But building-out designs in the 3D virtual environment makes a mockup materialize more quickly, says Robert Stinchcomb, Adidas creative designer. He played a lead role in bringing the virtual system into the company.

Designers wear Oculus headsets to design in 3D with Gravity Sketch software. They feel as if the design is floating in front of them, inside a virtual world, and they can easily make updates and changes to that design. Credit: Gravity Sketch

“Now it’s down to showing up at work at nine and at 3 pm having a mockup at the point where you could see everything and talk about ‘let’s switch the layering here,’” Stinchcomb says.

The mockup is an early-stage design “almost like a napkin sketch,” he adds. “This is a place we sketch out designs before fleshing them out, before we make a sample. And we’re doing it in a room that is super collaborative where we can talk to each other even though we may not even be in the same country.”

The team can quickly come up with 10 or 15 sneaker concepts, says Arnau Sanjuan, Adidas design director, footwear innovation.

“It’s easy to see how designs would look, to play around with them, to brainstorm ideas together quickly,” he says.

The Futurenatural studio looks much like a virtual reality game. Designers move about in the virtual world—moving between a series of “stations”— the same way they would any virtual-reality game in which avatars work together.

Gravity Sketch makes a 3D-design platform hosted in virtual reality, which is the tool Adidas used to help design its Futurenatural shoes.

The first stop is for design. Here, designers create the 3D model of the shoe. Surfaces are added at a second stop. Then it’s on to detailing and rendering. All before a physical prototype is created.

Because the shoe is easy to see and understand, the finished mockup can be immediately shared with manufacturers and marketing people for their feedback. They needn’t have an Oculus, as the designs can be captured and shared via other methods. Suggested changes are quickly made within the virtual environment.

James Harden’s foot
The mockup starts with the human foot. But for Futurenatural, the company took another tack. Like many shoemakers, the company had been using a generic last—the term for a 3D model of the foot—meant to represent the common sneaker wearer. For the Futurenatural line, Adidas wanted a better fit.

Adidas scanned thousands of people’s feet, including those of professional athletes. Of course, the popular shoemaker already had prints of athletes who have promoted their own Adidas sneaker in the past. James Harden, basketball player for the Brooklyn Nets is among those elite players. The Supernatural line debuted with the player’s fifth-signature basketball sneaker, Harden Vol. 5.

The engineers pulled together all types of feet—large sizes, small, narrow, wide, to best represent the foot. From that, they developed a new “last.”

Designers make their first foray into the Gravity Sketch virtual environment to fit the last with experimental sneaker concepts. Here is where they play with articulated lines in the 3D environment, rather than extrapolating view and fit from a 2D print, Stinchcomb says. They can rotate the view to see how the shoe would look, from the top, bottom, and sides.

At this first stop in their virtual environment, Stinchcomb and fellow designers work out new ideas for a sneaker’s footpad and play around with ways the upper might be molded and pressed. They sculpt arches and add padding to the sole in areas where the foot would benefit from reinforcement.

Collaboration is a key part of this design, with the designers talking back-and-forth in the virtual world as they gesture at parts and play around together with design, Stinchcomb says.

“We take a shoe and explode it and invite people into the space and spec out every single detail. We can blow it up to the size of warehouse and they can swim around the shoe, doing a deep dive on every part,” he says.

“At such an early stage, we can discuss complex details within the form,” he adds. In fact, these early iterations hold enough information to be fleshed out even further, which takes place at the next stage, or station: surfacing.

This is where the skeleton comes together and where volumes are defined, Stinchcomb says. Here, designers wrap their shoe to simulate the material they have in mind for end use. At this step, they create a continuous, lifelike surface with the help of SmoothKit software to sharpen effects.

The team also uses Adobe Substance Painter to “get the feel of the material” and to shade the image so it looks “as realistic as possible,” says Marius Jung, senior design.

Because the footwear industry makes heavy use of Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator, these new tools were a bit of a departure for the team, he says.

“In the past, we’d spend hours creating the right shadows and lighting, and now we’re able to speed that up and dive right into detailing like we’ve never been able to before,” he says.

When designers are satisfied with the shape and look of the shoe, they move to the next area within the virtual design space. At this juncture, they add details like laces and lace loops to their continuous surface. The team then renders the illustration with KeyShot software to give the image a photorealistic, lifelike quality.

At this stage, the team can share the image with other Adidas departments, mainly marketing and manufacturing. These teams offer their suggestions long before a final virtual prototype, much less a physical prototype, is created, says Marius Jung, senior designer. Their input is important, because the Supernatural line is a step apart from the usual. Designers need to know, and need to know early: can the manufacturer make a mold for this shoe using the designated materials? Will buyers be delighted or dismayed with this form for a new integrated sole?

Members of those teams can be invited into the virtual world if they have access to an Oculus. If not, the images can be shared on a desktop, Jung says.

Adidas worked with one of its factories to develop a new production process for the new shoe. During design, representatives from that manufacturer weighed in with tooling ideas. They also offered feedback about how they might produce the welting and lace loops. Marketers made suggestions brand placement and other features.

Mutual maker space
The Futurenatural design team had been working together almost a year in March 2020 when the COVID pandemic forced many companies to move employees to home offices. Some engineering and design businesses stuttered a bit as they found new ways to collaborate outside an office.

Even people regularly tied by collaboration software might have felt a hiccup as they accessed software on their home computers, in their home spaces. Meanwhile, he and his Adidas teammates stepped right back into their familiar space -the virtual office and maker space within the virtual shoe, says Arnau Sanjuan, design director of footwear innovation.

“I’ve always been one to be in the workshop figuring things out with my hands and working with materials,” he says. “I found my work in 3D could replace those things. We work together in that world so closely.”

Scholz too emphasized the inventive atmosphere that prevailed within the digital footprint.

“The virtual space kept the creativity and the spirit alive during the pandemic,” he says. “It’s just a fun, intuitive and playful way to create serious products.”

And that playfulness showed with the debut of the Harden Vol. 5 in January 2021 and the ensuing Futurenatural products, which feature polka dots, splotches and paint-like splurges in a number of patterns and colors, wavy soles, and an upper that melds seamlessly with the bottom of the shoe for an almost sock-like look.

In the future, the line is expected to include more materials and new designs. The shoes will, of course, be designed within the digital shoeprint using Gravity Plus 3D design technologies.

“The virtual reality system definitely demonstrated its value,” Sanjuan says. “Now everyone wants to try it. Because the learning curve is so easy, it’s spreading like wildfire to put 3D in anyone hands who wants it.”

Those newcomers are welcome, he adds.

“Especially at big, grand company like Adidas, it’s important to inject new processes into footwear and to look at things in a different way, Sanjuan says.

Filed Under: Simulation Software, VR software

HOOPS 2022 Toolkits enhance manufacturing and BIM workflows

January 31, 2022 By WTWH Editor Leave a Comment

Tech Soft 3D, a leading provider of engineering software development toolkits (SDKs), announced the release of the HOOPS 2022 SDKs. The enhancements to the 2022 toolkits focus on providing remarkable animation, data access and exchange, simulation and rendering capabilities to enable Tech Soft 3D partners to remain competitive in their industries by developing cutting-edge applications with proven 3D technologies.

With HOOPS SDKs, developers can reduce product development costs and bring desktop, web, mobile, and AR/VR applications to market faster.

Key feature enhancements include:

–Support for Apple Silicon: Apple’s recent shift from Intel-based chips to its new ARM-based architecture requires partners to port applications to provide the best experience for their users. We are now providing an official build of our HOOPS toolkits to enable this process.

–Animation Manager: New animation capabilities, including a new animation manager, are designed to meet various engineering animation needs, ranging from BIM 5D simulations, through Digital Factory animations, and Work Instruction authoring.

–Physically Based Rendering (PBR): PBR has been added to HOOPS Communicator to provide higher quality rendering for web applications and is now also available in HOOPS Visualize for mobile platforms.

–Spatial Relationships: Support for “Spatial Relationships” that are part of the Industry Foundation Class (IFC) model definition enables the ability to navigate in the model, query the model in the context of Quantity Takeoff (QTO) and more.

Enhancements to SDKs include:

–HOOPS Exchange
–Native CAD and standard format support for Inventor 2022, ACIS 2021 1.0 and –Parasolid 34.0
–Accessing mates for CATIA V5 files to help optimize workflows for applications in manufacturing simulation, robotic, kinematics analysis and more.

HOOPS Visualize
–New culling mechanism where front faces can be culled, allowing the user to see inside objects easier, and more easily show the results of analysis.
–Android AR Sandbox application refresh, which includes updating the ARCore SDK, using ARCore to match the 3D lighting to the environmental lighting (as seen by the camera), and adding a broader range of models.

HOOPS Communicator
–Supports assembly level features across different shattered workflows, allows users to view all the parts or a building or mechanical assembly at once and easily switch versions/revisions of individual parts or sub-assemblies without having to reconvert or process the entire set of 3D objects.
–Supports generating multiple output SC files for each body which is affected by an assembly level feature resulting in correct assembly conversion.
–New rendering modes (sketched mode and conceptual mode) based on standard AEC application interactions, enables users to replicate the environment they are used to in AEC workflows.

HOOPS Publish
–Improvements to HTML export regarding quality and fidelity with 3D PDFs.

HOOPS toolkits are also available through the HOOPS Native and HOOPS Web Platforms. HOOPS Platforms combine 3D technologies for CAD data exchange, visualization and data publishing, along with tight connections to popular modeling kernels.

Tech Soft 3D
www.techsoft3d.com

Filed Under: News Tagged With: techsoft3d

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