A lot has been written in the press lately about the comeback of U.S. manufacturing. Several factors come into play here. Cost creep in China–due to rising inflation and wage expectations–means that as soon as 2015 the U.S. could be in cost parity with Chinese manufacturing. Fears regarding IP security have also forced manufacturers to […]
Dassault Unveils 3D Simulated Heart
In an exciting breakthrough in the study of heart disease and its treatment, Dassault Systèmes today announced its role in the creation of the world’s first realistic 3D simulation model of the human heart. The model was developed by a multidisciplinary team of heart experts working to combat cardiovascular disease. The goal of the “Living […]
Autodesk Acquires NEi Nastran Solver
It seems as it the rate of acquisitions and strategic mergers and partnerships is at a fevered pitch right now. In the 3D printing world, it seems like companies are gobbling up other companies nearly daily. The end result of acquisitions is often a mixed bag. Often promising technologies coming out of smaller companies seem […]
ANSYS Acquires SpaceClaim
Consolidation through strategic acquisitions is nothing new in the CAD world, though I must admit to being surprised by last week’s announcement that ANSYS, a world leader in simulation technology, had acquired SpaceClaim Corp. for $85 million in cash. The transaction closed on April 30. SpaceClaim took the “direct” approach to 3D modeling SpaceClaim introduced […]
Preparing Models for Simulation: Which 3D Modeling Paradigm is Best?
Simulation technology has its origins in the labs of universities and specialists groups within the aeronautics and automotive industries. Today, however, simulation software has moved from research labs into mainstream product design and engineers and designers are increasingly using simulation tools to guide their design choices. How simulation tools are used today As designs progress […]
5 Surprising 2014 Worldwide CAD Trends
An interesting study has just been released by Business Advantage Group, a B2B research and consultancy based in the U.K. I thought some of the results of the survey were surprising and worth sharing. The company surveyed 409 CAD users and decision makers with the goal of identifying key trends in the CAD sector, both […]
PDF3D Developers Release ParaView Plus for Visualizing Complex Data
For many years, engineers and designers have struggled on the best way to safely share design data with others. Security is an issue. Bandwidth limitations yet another as files containing engineering data are often gargantuan. Yet another roadblock is all the various types of file formats that engineering data is saved in. On the CAD […]
Autodesk Partners with FOX Sports on Wind Simulation for Super Bowl Broadcast
To give fans an idea of how tough the conditions will be on the field for this year’s Super Bowl on Sunday, FOX Sports has partnered with Autodesk to use simulation software to calculate possibly adverse weather conditions–specifically wind–inside MetLife Stadium during the big game. The New Jersey Meadowlands, home of MetLife Stadium, has long […]
Autodesk Goes with the Flow, Releases New Simulation Tool
It wasn’t too long ago that simulation was viewed as a complex technology, best left to so-called “experts” or analysts with extensive experience. Product manufacturers, however, are increasingly incorporating simulation into their product development cycles to speed the development of products and get them to market faster. Digitally simulating product designs speeds development time by […]
7 New Year’s Resolutions for CAD Users
As we approach year’s end and begin looking towards a brand-spanking new year, many of us will make New Year’s resolutions. These are often health-related (eat less, exercise more, drop a few pounds, quit an unhealthy habit or two) or family-related (yell at my kids less, be more considerate of my significant other, walk the […]