Interesting engineering news and general interest to get you through the week. » Latest Engineering News » Design and CADDesign and CAD Many of the major advances we have made in recent times have a lot to owe to the power that today's modern design and CAD systems offer us engineers. Today we live in an exciting world where are are almost limited only by what we can imagine.
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Clipped to the Drawing Board by Administrator
Earlier this month, the Financial Times reported that PTC had hired Goldman Sachs to explore selling the 23-year-old company, seeking a price of more than $2 billion. The company isn't commenting, but some see the potential sale as the end of the road for a company that helped develop the market for what is called MCAD, or mechanical computer-aided design software.
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Sunday 21 September, 2008 09:48 AM |
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Clipped to the Drawing Board by Administrator
OmniMount , the leading global manufacturer of mounting and furniture solutions for residential home entertainment, today announced the availability of the Motion40, a new remote-controlled motorized cantilever mount for medium-sized flat-panels, as well as an enticing price cut for its existing Motion52 model, which can handle the most popular large flat panel sizes. Together, the Motion40 and Motion52 comprise OmniMount’s compelling MotionPicture Series.
With the Motion40 and Motion52, every seat can be the best seat in the house. Both mounts, developed in partnership with Samsung, enable the viewer to tilt, pan and swivel a flat panel with just the touch of a button. Easy to use, with a virtually silent motor, each MotionPicture Series mount enables custom installers to deliver unparalleled convenience, elegance and style to the discerning home entertainment consumer.
The new Motion40 fits most flat panels with screen sizes from 23 inches to 40 inches and weighing up to 66 pounds. The Motion52 provides even greater levels of compatibility utilizing universal rails to accommodate flat panel brands industry-wide, and fits screen sizes from 37 inches to 52 inches and weighing up to 95 pounds. Both mounts tilt from zero to 15 degrees, and pan from zero to 20 degrees left and right.
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Thursday 18 September, 2008 03:37 PM |
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Clipped to the Drawing Board by Adam Crighton
Clarizen , a provider of on-demand, online project management software, today announced that it is the first project software vendor to integrate project management and computer-aided design (CAD) in the marketplace. This integrated environment enables distributed design and engineering teams, including suppliers and customers, to manage and track the project’s progress within their CAD tools to ensure teams are synchronized in terms of schedule, progress and accountability. Clarizen has developed and has begun to market an integration capability with Dassault Systems SolidWorks Corp.’s mechanical CAD software – SolidWorks.
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Thursday 18 September, 2008 12:35 PM |
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Clipped to the Drawing Board by Administrator
In operational terms, the early de Havilland Comets distinguished themselves for confirming what many already knew: that the oval aircraft window was a design principle neither to be trifled nor dispensed with. An example of aircraft design lore whose breach over observance was best demonstrated by a string of well-publicised accidents in the early 1950s caused by catastrophic metal fatigue.
Less well known is that the aircraft introduced the concept of what most aircraft fatigue experts today term structural health monitoring, where the notion of damage tolerance alongside the pressurised fuselage and the wing-integrated jet engine was introduced for the first time on a high flying airliner, in addition to the hapless square windows.
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Thursday 18 September, 2008 04:34 AM |
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Clipped to the Drawing Board by Rose Shah
It is reported that Corus Process Engineering has been awarded a contract worth in the region of GBP 1 million to provide a complete design for a single strand continuous slab caster for Monnet Ispat & Energy of India.
The contract involves converting the existing 254 millimeter thick slab caster to a machine that is capable of producing three different thicknesses of high carbon steel slab. The overall contract between CPE and MIEL includes two other aspects, engineering services including refurbishment of the turret arms and the hardware sales and uplift from site.
Mr Willie Cowan project manager at CPE said that “CPE will also provide mechanical and electrical design services in converting the turret arms and Tundish Cars to fit the new Concast plant configuration which requires considerable design effort and know how. Much of the overall design effort will be spent converting the existing Concast plant equipment which previously cast 254 millimeter thick slabs, to plant that is capable of producing three different slab thicknesses: 200 millimeter, 254 millimeter and 300 millimeter. This involves modifying the moulds, Top Zones and segments.”
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Wednesday 17 September, 2008 04:27 PM |
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Clipped to the Drawing Board by Tony Elmasri
In the energy sector's good old days , draftsmen penned plans by hand for the tangle of metal pipes that would ultimately become a new refinery or offshore oil platform.
Industry veterans threw an arm around new hires at the drafting table, mentoring rookies along the way.
Today's pipe designers often work in isolated cubicles. They use advanced 3-D software to map out specs for energy infrastructure projects. They're in high demand and have the salaries to show for it.
But thanks to the current energy boom — coupled with years of often brutal hiring and firing practices within the industry — there's a labor shortage in this niche and not nearly enough seasoned hands to coach new recruits.
"The whole apprenticeship culture is largely gone, so it's a challenge. You're not shoulder to shoulder anymore," said Joe Sanders, manager of engineering design for Houston-based Mustang Engineering.
Mustang has a lengthy backlog of oil and natural gas projects around the world, and it's looking to hire hundreds of engineers and pipe designers to handle the load.
While there's a labor shortage in general across the energy spectrum, the pinch is particularly acute for upstream process engineers, who work on exploration and production projects, and 3-D pipe designers.
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Tuesday 16 September, 2008 04:18 AM |
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Clipped to the Drawing Board by Bob Smith
The University of Manitoba and ENGINEERING.com, the North American reseller of CATIA educational software, are pleased to announce the unveiling of the new state of the art "Wardrop CAD Technology Centre" at The University of Manitoba.
The new laboratory, the only one of its kind in Canada, will feature an advanced computer-based product development program in the new Engineering and Information Technology Complex. It will also serve as a manufacturing facility providing comprehensive education to students, as well as skills upgrading and industry training. The complex features a 40-seat computer lab alongside a mini-simulated manufacturing lab, complete with a rapid prototyping machine, mini-numerical controlled machine tools and a small virtual reality system.
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Tuesday 16 September, 2008 01:08 AM |
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Clipped to the Drawing Board by Rose Shah
The vision of the founders was to put a 3D CAD (Computer Aided Design) in every desktop. The industry at that point of time had said that CAD/CAM is mature and everyone said that the industry is mature and there is nothing more.
At that time, CAD was expensive, a specialized software working on UNIX platform and it's not possible for SME players to invest their money into it. We started with a single-minded vision – to run CAD on a WINDOWS platform, that too an inexpensive one.
It took about 3-4 years for us to get the first 100,000 licenses sold in the market, but subsequently it took only two years to get the next 100,000. Today, we have more than 600,000 to 700,000 users.
We grew because we were easy to use, inexpensive and though we started as a CAD company we moved on to other engineering design offering entity such as CAE and then we moved on to data validation management.
Today we have four products in our kitty. One is the 3D product, the design validation, data management solution and documentation software. Our offices in India include in Bangalore, Mumbai and we have office in New Delhi with several resellers spread across the country.
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Monday 15 September, 2008 08:58 AM |
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Clipped to the Drawing Board by Administrator
Tata Consultancy Services (TCS.BO: Quote, Profile, Research), India's top software services exporter, said on Wednesday it will partner with Swedish defence and aerospace group Saab (SAABb.ST: Quote, Profile, Research) for an aeronautical design and development centre.
The centre in India will offer defence and civil aeronautical services, including systems for new platforms, performance studies, virtual prototyping and aircraft sustenance engineering, TCS said in a statement.
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Sunday 14 September, 2008 11:00 PM |
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Clipped to the Drawing Board by Administrator
The NO-TRACS (www.no-tracs.com) automatic wheelchair cleaning product has been introduced at the Abilities Expo. NO-TRACS is a patent pending product incorporating wireless technology that automatically removes dirt from wheelchair, power wheelchair, sports wheelchair, or scooter wheels in about 30 seconds while the user sits in it. Users simply ride onto NO-TRACS and a wireless signal starts the wheel cleaning process to clean wheels rapidly and thoroughly. NO-TRACS installation only requires a standard electrical outlet for power. NO-TRACS simplicity allows people of any age or disability to have clean wheels.
Abilities Expo, Minneapolis, Minnesota (PRWEB) September 12, 2008 -- The NO-TRACS (www.no-tracs.com) automatic wheelchair cleaning product has been introduced at the Abilities Expo. NO-TRACS is a patent pending product incorporating wireless technology that automatically removes dirt from wheelchair, power wheelchair, sports wheelchair, or scooter wheels in about 30 seconds while the user sits in it. Users simply ride onto NO-TRACS and a wireless signal starts the wheel cleaning process to clean wheels rapidly and thoroughly. NO-TRACS installation only requires a standard electrical outlet for power. NO-TRACS simplicity allows people of any age or disability to have clean wheels.
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Friday 12 September, 2008 06:38 PM |
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Clipped to the Drawing Board by Rose Shah
Participants in the new hands-on University of Michigan short course, "Compliant Design," will have a unique opportunity to take an innovative approach to solving a real-life engineering design problem that they bring from their workplace on Oct. 13-14 in Ann Arbor.
Using specialized software and water-jet laser cutting, they will fabricate a custom original functional prototype that employs flexible adaptive shape change. This provides a whole new way to solve engineering problems because elasticity in engineering design allows the generation of most mechanical functions with a single part. Streamlined compliant systems morph without joints or hinges.
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Friday 12 September, 2008 03:36 PM |
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Clipped to the Drawing Board by Administrator
If a designer can dream it, solidThinking can help make it a reality.
That is the message solidThinking, a new Troy-based company, hopes to spread internationally.
Already popular in Italy -- where the software was developed -- solidThinking has launched a new version aimed at Windows and Mac users worldwide. And its recent acquisition by Altair Engineering Inc. gives solidThinking the contacts and support to expand rapidly, executives said.
"Our mission is to bring a digital tool to the market for product designers to capture, explore and visualize their ideas," said Alex Mazzardo, the company's vice president of product strategy and marketing.
Mazzardo started solidThinking in 1991 with his brother, Mario, who is vice president of product strategy and management.
Altair acquired the company's assets in 2008 and is in the midst of moving the Mazzardo brothers to Michigan to complete the transition.
Designers use solidThinking software to create photorealistic 3D virtual prototypes of products across industries from jewelry to yachts to automobiles, Mazzardo said.
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Tuesday 9 September, 2008 09:53 AM |
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Clipped to the Drawing Board by George Tan
Ask 1996 Wenatchee High School graduate Eric Wengreen how he manages to keep his iPod earbuds from falling out during strenuous exercise.
He’d love to tell you about it.
Wengreen, 30, is the inventor of BudFits , a set of soft, rubber “hooks” that attach to each earbud and wrap over the top of the ear for a secure fit.
BudFits is the first invention he’s marketed via his Minneapolis-based company, Innovelis.
He says he launched the product nationwide June 19, after about a year of research and development.
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Tuesday 9 September, 2008 09:50 AM |
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Clipped to the Drawing Board by Barot Casha
3D design technology supply company, Innova Systems, are celebrating being the first company in the UK to have past the full range of accreditation exams set by SolidWorks Corporation, a global leader in 3D engineering design and analysis technology.
Engineers at Innova have passed the challenging examinations to prove their knowledge and capabilities in the use of SolidWorks' extensive suite of engineering design software. Already a UK leader in SolidWorks training and 3D design, Innova work with a broad range of industries and companies such as Xaar, Copytrax, Amarinth, Fenland Leisure and Thermoteknix.
SolidWorks is an advanced 3D computer aided design system that enables engineers to rapidly develop and refine design ideas, enabling them to create new and innovative products. It is used by engineers in a broad range of industries, such as automotive, medical, electronics, communications, architecture, furniture and the energy industry. "It has always been important to us that we employ the very best engineers," said Mark Bradford, Managing Director of Innova Systems Ltd.
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Tuesday 9 September, 2008 09:48 AM |
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Clipped to the Drawing Board by John William
Geometric Limited was recently granted a patent titled “Geometry based search method for 3D CAx/PDM repositories” by the US Patent and Trademark Office (Patent no. 7,397,473). The patent outlines algorithms and methods to locate 3D CAD models based on shape data, unlike text and attribute based search methods.
Geometric’s 3DSearchIT is a shape-based search engine technology, built on patented algorithms such as this. Shape-based search is an intuitive process and improves productivity by enabling and encouraging information reuse through product lifecycle stages such as design, planning, manufacturing, procurement and inventory management. By encouraging reuse, it also has a potential to reduce overall product development time and costs.
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Tuesday 9 September, 2008 09:42 AM |
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Clipped to the Drawing Board by Administrator
You're an evil genius, bent on world domination. You have a nuclear weapon simmering away in the basement of your underground lair, deep within some Polynesian volcanic island. You still have to eat.
Bring me a sandwich, fool! Hah-hah-hah!
Which means you need a kitchen. May I suggest the Porsche Design Kitchen P'7340 built by Poggenpohl?
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Thursday 4 September, 2008 10:35 AM |
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Clipped to the Drawing Board by Administrator
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Helsinki, Finland - In preparation for the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, Finland-based sail maker WB-Sails is using EFD.Lab fluid dynamics simulation software from Flomerics to develop and optimize sails for Star and Finn class Olympic sailboats. "Our traditional panel codes predict sail forces reasonably well in the upwind case, when flow separation is not a major factor, but we were desperate for something more powerful to predict 3D air flow and sail forces on downwind legs and in the lighter winds that we expect in Beijing," said Mikko Brummer, Head of R&D at WB-Sails.
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Wednesday 2 July, 2008 02:40 PM |
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Clipped to the Drawing Board by Adam Crighton
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For two entire matches, ThunderChickens , Team 217 (Michigan), and its robotic mascot sat like a lame duck. Grant Cox, the team's designated robot driver, frantically pushed the steering stick in various directions, hoping to accomplish with brute force what the infrared signals had failed to do. But the bird wouldn't budge.
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Wednesday 2 July, 2008 10:42 AM |
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Clipped to the Drawing Board by Administrator
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MARSHALLTOWN, IA - Mechdyne Corporation today introduced the 3D Review Station, an integrated computing, display and software system that uses new 3D-ready HD televisions to make interactive 3D more accessible in technical application environments. These new televisions leverage a unique DLP® smooth picture, diagonal sub-frame sampling format to display stereoscopic images. Mechdyne's Conduit software is one of the only means by which images created in popular commercial applications for manufacturing, design, geophysical mapping, medical imaging and other technical fields can be displayed in fully interactive stereoscopic 3D on these televisions.
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Sunday 29 June, 2008 10:20 AM |
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Clipped to the Drawing Board by Administrator
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Manufacturers can cut total design time 40 percent by implementing Design for Manufacture and Assembly (DFMA) methodologies early in the product development process, Nick Dewhurst, executive vice president of Boothroyd Dewhurst, told attendees at the company’s 23rd annual DFMA Forum this month.
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Sunday 29 June, 2008 06:27 AM |
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Clipped to the Drawing Board by John William
Many manufacturers are turning to Digital Manufacturing as a companion to CAD, PDM as a way to accelerate and strengthen their lean initiatives.
According to General Motors, the amount of information required to describe the production of a product is 1,000 times greater than the information represented within the product design itself. Digital Manufacturing provides the tools to properly document and communicate these manufacturing complexities.
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Friday 27 June, 2008 06:44 PM |
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