By DE Editors

Dear Desktop Engineering Reader:So, our expert was out and I was the only do-bee with sufficientfamiliarity with a specialized application to dink with a file to keepthe design process moving. What took me half an afternoon, our expertcould have done in minutes. This is how efficiency dies: We rely onspecialized applications that only specialists have mastered. So, ifyour pro is out, you can feel as useful as a milk bucket under a bull.Well, some of the folks who developed your specialized applicationsover the years have a new company and product line that keeps yourdesign work moving ahead without relying on everyone having thosespecialized skills.SpaceClaim is a history free MCAD tool - they call it a 3D productivitytool - for the non-MCAD specialists on your team: manufacturing pros,analysis experts, and, yeah, managers. It's designed as a complement toyour high-end MCAD and as a jump-start collaboration tool. By thelatter, I mean that SpaceClaim enables all your other experts who haveprofound effect on your design process to enter their input early andoften. Think of it, eliminate waiting around for the MCAD whiz tofigure out what all those scribbles mean for changes to the design or,worse, someone telling you that you can't manufacture that design. Youcan figure out all that as you iterate.SpaceClaim is a game changer. I have not done an adequate job unfoldingits potential. But, I will tell you this: I so believe that you shouldcheck out SpaceClaim that I agreed to host a launch webinar for theproduct a week from today. Alright, I admit it, that's good for mycompany's business, but I really believe that SpaceClaim will be goodfor yours. Check out the write-up. It has links to the webinar andother stuff.Thanks, Pal - LockwoodAnthony J. LockwoodEditorial Director, Desktop EngineeringSpaceClaim Opens 3D MCADIndustry veterans launch mechanical design for all contributors.Mike Payne, a co-founder of PTC and SolidWorks, Daniel Dean also a PTCco-founder, Rich Moore former VP and GM of Americas of ComputervisionCorporation, and a roster of industry heavyweights are at it again.This time, they've launched SpaceClaim Corp. (Concord, MA) with amission to put "3D at the fingertips of everyone involved in productdesign." And the other day, they announced their flagshipproduct, SpaceClaim Professional 2007. Envisioned as a complement tocomplex, industrial-strength MCAD environments, SpaceClaim Professional2007 will be generally available at the end of March. The idea underlying SpaceClaim Professional is that 3D mechanicaldesign is unavailable to many major contributors to product development- say, manufacturing engineers, analysts, and engineering management -because they do not have access to or mastery of the designers' 3D CADsystem. SpaceClaim Professional 2007 deploys a range of technologies,such as intelligent tools and a non-threatening user interface, thatenable these engineers participate earlier in the product developmentprocess without thrashing about inefficiently with the professionaldesigner's system. A nonparametric MCAD tool, SpaceClaim Professional 2007 provides whatthe company describes as a flexible modeling environment. Thisenvironment supports conceptual engineering, design creation, andmodification as well as real-time geometric inferencing. The latterhighlights design similarities, such as equal radius holes or coplanarsurfaces, and aids users during geometry creation and modification. Thesoftware's integrated workspace for parts and assemblies lets you splitand merge components and to alter assembly structure as needed. The SpaceClaim user interface is based on a technology that the companycalls "SmartTools." In essence, SmartTools gleans your modeling intentfrom your selected geometry and its context to determine the mostlikely operations you wish to perform. SmartTools then makes availablethose tools for your use. This eliminates the clutter of multipledrop-down menus or dialogue boxes as well as reduces the number ofclick needed to execute an action. The user interface also offers a technology called "Hints." Hintsautomatically suggest design considerations, such as maintaining samesize holes or wall thickness, in the form of localized "snaps," which,in turn, eliminates the need for entering specific dimensions beforeyou change geometry. Additionally, a Power Select capability lets yousearch a model for similar geometry, select as a group from theresulting list, and modify, move, or delete all at once. SpaceClaim Professional provides a constraint-free sketchingenvironment. Sketching entities include lines, arcs, and splines, andsketching tools include trim, offset, and project to sketch. Thesoftware also has pull, move, and sections functionalities, and itsupports familiar Microsoft Cut and Paste commands to move and copygeometry. Miscellaneous features include 3D mark-up capabilities, modelcompare functions, and the ability to output 3D mark-ups in PowerPointand XPS. SpaceClaim Professional can import and export most major file formats,including ACIS, Parasolid, IGES, STEP, DWG, DXF, and VDA. SpaceClaimProfessional uses an The complete SpaceClaim product line also includes a free Home Editionof SpaceClaim Professional 2007, a free SpaceClaim Viewer, a dataExchange product for translators beyond the industry standards, aproduct that supports CATIA V5 data exchange, and a library of standardparts. Next Wednesday, March 28, 2007, SpaceClaim Corp. will hold an onlinewebinar called "Increasing Engineering Efficiency by Extending theBenefits of 3D." The featured guest will be Chad Jackson of the AberdeenGroup who will discuss how best-in-class manufacturers are extendingthe use of 3D modeling throughout the product development team toimprove engineering efficiencies. A demonstration of SpaceClaimProfessional 2007 will follow the main presentation. This event issponsored by Desktop Engineering magazine and SpaceClaim Corp. Anthony J. Lockwood, Editorial Director at DE, will serve as host. Forfurther details on this webinar or to register for it, click here. General availability of SpaceClaim Professional 2007 begins on March30. It costs $125 per month, per user, based on a 3-year term. A 1-yearterm is also available, and both terms include full support andupdates. For full details, go to the SpaceClaim website.

  March 14, 2007Dear DE Reader:At SolidWorks World, I had a meeting with Tom Clay and Kevin Lach, theCEO and VP of marketing at Z Corporation, deep in the heart of theMorial Convention Center in New Orleans. They wanted to show me theirnew ZPrinter 450 3D rapid prototyping printer, which was justofficially announced.Two qualities struck me right away: the ZPrinter 450 is both quiet andgood looking. These turned out to be really good observations because ZCorp envisions the ZPrinter 450 as a complement to most any engineeringoffice.Well, they should. ZPrinter 450 has this containment system that keepsloose particles from flying all around the joint. It does not requirebaths to dissolve support structures, and its powder and bindercartridges keep that stuff away from you while minimizing service calls.And did I mention quiet? I'm not going to tell you that the ZPrinter450 runs on little cat's paws. But I'll tell you this: If you took thatnetworked copier and printer thing that's outside my office andreplaced it with a ZPrinter 450, I would be a happy camper.Finally, there's color. Simply put, nobody does 3D multi-colored modelslike Z Corp. Check out the write-up today to see some shots of whatthis thing can do. From the write-up, follow the links to a WAV movieand some PDFs on the ZPrinter 450, neither of which you have to sign upfor. Which, to me, shows that Z Corp is confident that you will be backto learn more about the ZPrinter 450. I think they're right about that.Thanks, Pal - LockwoodAnthony J. LockwoodEditorial Director, Desktop Engineering

3D Color Printer Fits in OfficeZ Corporation unveils ZPrinter 450 with particle containment and no liquids.Z Corporation (Burlington, MA) has announced the ZPrinter 450, itsnewest color 3D printer. The ZPrinter 450 is optimized for afront-office environment: It is quiet, uses safe build materials, andemploys "negative pressure" and a closed loop system to containairborne particles. Even when a model requires supports, the ZPrinter450 It produces no liquid waste to remove them, and the ZPrinter 450'spowder and binder cartridges cleanly load, keeping users away from thebuild materials. The ZPrinter 450, says Z Corporation, introduces first-evercapabilities for a color 3D printer, such as automated setup andself-monitoring of materials and print status. The ZPrinter 450 uses aloose powder for model support structures and automatically removesthat loose powder upon completion of the model without liquid baths.Additionally, the ZPrinter 450 has an integrated fine-powder removalchamber that reduces the footprint of the system. << Sample images created with the ZPrinter 450 from Z Corp. Click images to enlarge. >> The ZPrinter 450 produces color using a single tri-color printheadinstead of multiple printheads. You can control the ZPrinter 450 fromyour desktop or a display panel on the printer itself. Its ZPrintsoftware lets you monitor powder, binder, and ink levels from yourdesktops, and remotely read the machine's LCD display. < < Sample images created with the ZPrinter 450 from Z Corp. Click images to enlarge. > > The ZPrinter 450, according to the company, produces models andprototypes at a cost of approximately $3 per cubic inch. Printersolution is 300 x 450 dpi. Z Corporation anticipates that the ZPrinter 450 will ship early in thesecond quarter of this year. Pricing will be $39,900. Click hereto download a WAV movie and some PDF brochures on the ZPrinter 450(registration is not required). To go to the Z Corporation website,click here.  

   March 7, 2007Dear DE Reader:Back in early 1980s, Jerry Gaski established a company to continuedeveloping a thermal modeling system with the catchy name SystemsImproved Numerical Differentiating Analyzer -- SINDA. SINDA, likeNastran, has its roots in the race to the moon. In fact, its firstmajor deployment was predicting temperatures in the Apollo 2 commandmodule. Later in the 80s, a consultant recommended that they add a G —for Gaski — to the name, giving us SINDA/G. That guy, Ron Behee, nowruns the company.Today, SINDA/G is the finite difference analyzer code of choice forsolving the toughest problems in the aerospace, automotive, andelectronics industries. Recently, Network Analysis, Inc. (NAI),released version 2.5 of its SINDA/G plug-in for Patran, the venerable pre- and postprocessorfor CAE simulation. The combination creates a seamless integration thatcombines the power of the two heavyweights, yet frees you Patran gurusfrom having to bone up on SINDA formats or radiation codes.Now, I know that you might have missed this news with the recentlyconcluded frenzy concerning one Anna Nicole Smith, so go to thewrite-up and click on the links to the movies showing SINDA/G forPatran in use. You'll quickly see that SINDA/G has the power to solveyour toughest problem.Thanks, Pal. —  LockwoodAnthony J. LockwoodEditorial Director, Desktop EngineeringEditor's Pick of the Week—March 7, 2007

Integrate CAD and Thermal Analysis SINDA/G thermal analysis linked with Patran FEA.Version 2.5 of the SINDA/G plug-in for Patran  from Network Analysis, Inc. (NAI; Chandler,AZ) fully integrates the thermalanalysis features of SINDA/G with the FEA (finite element analysis) pre- and post-processingcapabilities of Patran from MSC.Software (Santa Ana, CA). The SINDA/G for Patran plug-in allows for the seamlessintegration of the two programs with all major functions of bothsoftware programs supported, according to NAI. Further, the transparentintegration lets you operate such thermal features as convection,surface-to-surface radiation, and heating, without having to know theformat of SINDA/G or thermal radiation codes. NAI describes SINDA/G for Patran as fully compatible with Patranand MSC.Nastran.  It supports thermal radiation and orbitalheating industry standard programs, including Thermica, Nevada, andTRASYS. This is said to include a radiation super-element concept andtrue geometric primitives that are passed to thermal radiation codes.The thermal result generated by SINDA/G for Patran can be used byMSC.Nastran to calculate thermal stresses and distortions. SINDA/G for Patran allows the thermal features of SINDA/G — convectionequations, programming logic or entire subroutines — to be incorporatedin Patran-generated models. The SINDA/G for Patran plug-in includes aPatran-style graphical user interface. SINDA/G for Patran runs on Windows-compatible PCs and UNIXworkstations. The plug-in alone costs $4000. SINDA/G itself is also$4,000. For further details, click here. Click here to access a series of movies (streaming WebEx) showing SINDA/G for Patran in use.