DEVELOP3D December / January 2010

SolidThinking 8.0 P32

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TECHNOLOGY FOR THE PRODUCT LIFECYCLE

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11.12.2009 16:46:50

WELCOME EDITORIAL Editor-in-Chief Al Dean al@x3dmedia.com +44 (0)7525 701 541 Managing Editor Greg Corke greg@x3dmedia.com +44 (0)20 3355 7312 Consulting Editor Martyn Day martyn@x3dmedia.com +44 (0)7525 701 542 Editorial Assistant Stephen Holmes stephen@x3dmedia.com +44 (0)20 3355 7311 DESIGN/PRODUCTION Art Director Rob Biddulph Design/Production Greg Corke greg@x3dmedia.com +44 (0)20 3355 7312 ADVERTISING Advertising Manager Tony Baksh tony@x3dmedia.com +44 (0)20 3355 7313 Deputy Advertising Manager Steve King steve@x3dmedia.com +44 (0)20 3355 7314 SUBSCRIPTIONS Circulation Manager Alan Cleveland alan@x3dmedia.com +44 (0)20 3355 7311 DEVELOP3D is published monthly and is available FREE to qualifying individuals.

To ensure you receive your regular copy please register online at www.develop3d.com/registration

ABOUT DEVELOP3D is published by

H

ere we go, the first issue of DEVELOP3D for 2010. Year Two Thousand and Ten. Honestly. As a youth, growing up in the late 70s, early 80s, I firmly believed we would be living on the moon, sitting around in silver jumpsuits and eating all our meals in a single pill. Don’t get me started on the serious and rather frustrating delays in jetpack development.

That said, let’s not believe things aren’t moving on a pace.

While lunar living isn’t within reach yet, we’ve got some fancy new things to show you this month. For starters, we’ve finally got the next version of www.develop3d.com live, up and running. While we’ve been running the blog for the last two years and it has been incredibly popular, you’ll now find alongside all of the back issues’ content online, including reviews, features, profiles and other content from the magazine - all indexed, searchable and available 24/7. We still offer the magazine as a PDF should you want the graphically rich version in a digital format.

While we’re talking about graphically rich, later this year we’ll be launching DEVELOP3D on the Apple iPhone platform. This will give you a separate app through which to gain access to the latest issues, back issues, all in a highly dynamic, touch sensitive interface.

Finally, if you’re an overseas reader just dying to get your hands on the hard copy magazine, we’ve launched a global subscription package that gets the magazine to your doorstep (or pigeon hole) for you to enjoy offline and at your leisure.

So. Enough of that, what content have we got for you this month? Big stories from Frances’ look at how Stuart Karten Design has helped Zon Hearing Aids create a product that assists those with hearing difficulties, but don’t want the world to know about it. Greg gives us a run down of what’s been hot this year for hardware and we report on the mammoth jamboree that is Autodesk University with a look at what the Manufacturing Solutions team is working on.

We’ve also got a lovely spread of reviews, from conceputalisation and surface modelling tools with solidThinking, to more structured design tools with SpaceClaim, through the rendering process with Josh Mings’ look at Modo 401 and topping out with the first of two parts on Vero’s VISI, concentrating on the design process, following up with more manufacturing in February.

There you have it. 2009 was a rough year for many. here’s to a bright and prosperous 2010.

Cheers ears,

X3DMedia Ltd 93a Rivington Street London EC2A 3AY T. +44 (0)20 3355 7310 F. +44 (0)20 3355 7319 www.x3dmedia.com © 2009 X3DMedia Ltd All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part without prior permission from the publisher is prohibited. All trademarks acknowledged

Al Dean Editor-in-Chief, DEVELOP3D Magazine

Opinions expressed in articles are those of the author and not of X3DMedia. X3DMedia cannot accept responsibility for errors in articles or advertisements within the magazine DEVELOP3D is printed by Warners Midlands plc www.warners.co.uk

DEVELOP3D.COM DECEMBER 2009 / JANUARY 2010 3

GOESDIGI It’s 2010 and time for a brand new focus on digital publishing to complement the printed magazine.

You can now read DEVELOP3D any way you like...

On the Web On the iPhone* In PDF In print

On the Web

DEVELOP3D has expanded its blog and created a brand-new dynamic website featuring up to the minute reviews and analysis. It can be browsed by article type or by process, and we’ll be expanding its scope over the course of the year. You can also now comment on everything we write or simply tell us to update our woefully embarrassing portraits.

On the iPhone*

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There’s an app for this and there’s an app for that, so says the advert, but now here’s the app you’ve all been waiting for. The DEVELOP3D app replicates the graphically rich content of the print magazine, and supplements it with touch-enabled animated page turning, searchable contents, and rich media links. It’s available now directly through the App Store.

We know that some of you will always love the smell of ink on paper, so now we’re offering the print edition of DEVELOP3D outside of the UK. Year subscriptions are available for $69. (develop3d.com/store)

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COMPETITION

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GITAL Competition!

To celebrate DEVELOP3D’s entry into the digital age, we’ve teamed up with some of the industry’s leading hardware manufacturers to bring you a competition with some seriously exciting prizes!

To be in with a chance of winning all you need to do is register your details at www.develop3d.com/registration Winners will be drawn out of a hat on the 1st March 2009.

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First prize • Apple iPod Touch (including a year’s free subscription to DEVELOP3D iPhone edition) • AMD ATI FirePro V7750 graphics card • 3Dconnexion SpaceExplorer • devolo dLAN 200 AVeasy Starter Kit

Second prize • AMD ATI Fire Pro V5700 graphics card • 3Dconnexion SpaceNavigator

Third prize • AMD ATI FirePro V3750 graphics card • 3Dconnexion SpaceNavigator

For all t he news an latest views, 140 cha d opinions in DEVELO racters follow P3D on @devel Twitter op3d

Prize details Apple iPod Touch

It’s an iPod, what more do we need to say? It plays music and video, it runs a whole host of applications and has multi touch, but most importantly you can read DEVELOP3D on it. www.apple.com

ATI FirePro graphics

AMD’s ATI FirePro graphics cards deliver accelerated 3D graphics for the full range of professional design, simulation and visualisation applications. The FirePro V7750 (1GB) is perfect for design viz and high-end CAD, the FirePro V5700 (512MB) for mid-range CAD and the FirePro V3750 (256MB) for entry-level 3D. www.ati.amd.com/firepro

3Dconnexion 3D mice

3Dconnexion’s 3D mice offer optimised navigation for more than 100 of today’s leading 3D design and visualisation applications. Users simply push, pull, tilt or twist the Space Mouse’s controller cap to simultaneously pan, zoom and rotate 3D objects and environments. The SpaceExplorer features an array of function keys, while the small footprint of the SpaceNavigator makes it ideal for use on the go. www.3dconnexion.com

Terms and conditions This competition closes on 1st March 2009 and is only open to UK residents over the age of 18.

Entry into the competition and acceptance of the prize constitutes permission to use your name inside the magazine. The winners will be selected at random by X3DMedia. No purchase necessary.

Only winners will be contacted personally.

devolo dLAN 200 AVeasy Starter Kit

dLAN 200 AVeasy connects Ethernet networkenabled devices via your household power grid to a range of 200m. It supports data speeds of up to 200Mbps and opens the door to bandwidthintensive applications such as Internet television (IP-TV in HD quality),VoIP telephony, and also moving big CAD files around. www.devolo.co.uk

DEVELOP3D.COM DECEMBER 2009 / JANUARY 2010 5

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© 2010 Dell Inc. Dell, the Dell logo, Ultrasharp and Dell Precision are registered trademarks or trademarks of Dell Inc. Intel, the Intel Inside logo, Pentium, Xeon and Core2 Duo are registered trademarks of Intel Corporation. Microsoft, Windows, Windows Vista and Windows XP are registered trade marks of Microsoft Corporation. Other trade marks or trade names may be used in this document to refer to either the entities claiming the marks and names of their products. ATI FireGL and ATI FirePro are registered trademark of AMD. Dell disclaims proprietary interest in the marks and names of others. Response times may vary according to the remoteness or accessibility of Product location. Service may be provided via telephone or internet where appropriate. Certain restrictions apply. Dell Corporation Limited, Milbanke House, Western Road, Bracknell, Berks, RG12 1RD. Prices excluding VAT and delivery. Monitor not included. Screen image courtesy: Autodesk.

contents DECEMBER 2009 / JANUARY 2010 ISSUE No.15

8

NEWS Dell unveils the first Intel Core i7-based mobile workstation, ARTVPS delivers Shaderlight renderer for 3ds Max, SolidWorks helps UK engineering, while Ferrari optimises thermal comfort

14 Comment Al Dean pays homage to the 0.5mm fine liner and Moleskine notebook, while Rob Jamieson gives his first impressions of Microsoft’s brand new operating system, Windows .7

18 22 29 30

34 38 45 48 48

FEATURES Product design showcase - wrist action COVER STORY Pump up the volume Autodesk University 2009 report Best workstation buys of 2009

REVIEWS SolidThinking Inspired 8.0 SpaceClaim 2009+ Vero VISI 17: Design Workstation Specialists WS1400 Intel Core i5 processor

THE LAST WORD 50 Martyn Day asks “what has happened to all the engineering students?”

DEVELOP3D is published monthly and is available FREE to qualifying individuals.

To ensure you receive your regular copy please register online at www.develop3d.com/registration

FREE SUBSCRIPTIONS To ensure you receive your free copy of DEVE register online now at LOP3D In the uk www.develop3d.com/regis Overseas Paid print sub tration scriptions NOW

available at www.develop 3d.com/store

DEVELOP3D.COM DECEMBER 2009 / JANUARY 2010 7

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NEWS

PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT NEWS

Dell to take Mobile performance to new levels with the Precision M6500

» Dell's new Precision M6500 is the first Core i7-based mobile workstation and, with a range of high-end graphic options and up to 16GB RAM, looks set to break all records

D

ell has launched a brand new Intel Core i7-based mobile workstation, the Precision M6500. Like its predecessor, the Precision M6400, the M6500 is a beast of a laptop and with a 17-inch screen, up to 8GB RAM, support for RAID hard drives and a choice of high-end graphics cards, it’s more of a desktop you can move around than an outright portable.

The big news for the M6500 is the inclusion of Intel’s Core i7 mobile CPU. Replacing the Core 2 Duo, the Quad Core chip has been scaled down for the mobile platform and Dell’s Precision M6500 is the first mobile workstation from a Tier One manufacturer to feature the chip, and quite a chip it is.

It features all the same architectural benefits of its desktop counterpart, such as an integrated memory controller (which is great for memory intensive tasks such as CAE), HyperThreading for eight virtual cores (ideal for accelerated rendering in 3ds Max) and Intel’s Turbo Boost technology which accelerates the clock speed of the CPU in single threaded CAD applications. On the mobile platform it also plays a major role in keeping the power consumption and heat production down, which is a major challenge in all mobile workstations.

Dell offers a choice of three chips in its Precision M6500 and while all three have relatively slow clock speeds, Turbo Boost can increase single threaded performance by as much as 1.3GHz. This is a much bigger boost that is available with Intel’s desktop Core i7 processors. For example, a

1.60GHz Core i7 720QM has a maximum turbo frequency of 2.80GHz, a 1.80GHz Core i7 820QM goes up to 3.06GHz and a 2.0GHz Core i7 920XM goes up to 3.20GHz. While this is great news for single threaded CAD applications, which should run at similar speeds as they would on Dell’s desktop Precision workstations, it does mean that the Precision M6500 won’t be able to compete under multi-threaded applications, such as 3ds Max. Of course the Precision M6500 offers much more than just a new CPU, and while it has many similarities to the M6400, including the same chassis, there are many more improvements.

The first is the increased 3D performance and the M6500 has a choice of three 1GB graphics cards – AMD’s ATI Fire Pro M7740, and Nvidia’s Quadro FX 2800M and Quadro FX3800M. All three are powerful cards, at peak using more than the 45W assigned to the CPU, and Dell has used some clever thermal engineering to accommodate the FX 3800M in particular.

In terms of memory, at time of press, Dell remains the only mobile workstation to offer 8GB in 2GB DIMMs. This makes it much more economical than competing machines which require 2 x 4GB DIMMs and means it can support up to 16GB in total.

The M6500 also supports faster 1,600MHz DDR3 memory, which will be critical to some memory intensive applications.

There are plenty of options for storage,

ranging from solid state drives up to 256GB in size and 7,200RPM free fall sensor mechanical drives up to 500GB. There are two hard drive bays, but there is also an option of a 64GB SSD mini card. According to Dell, this makes it possible to have a RAID 5 configuration, with data spanning over three drives for performance and redundancy, but this is likely to be a very niche solution.

A more typical three-drive setup would be to run OS and applications off the mini drive and data off two standard hard drives, either mirrored or striped for performance. The machine also includes an e-SATA interface for external storage.

From what we have seen the Precision M6500 looks to be another excellent mobile workstation from Dell. The introduction of the Core i7 will bring a huge boost to CAD on the mobile platform, just as it did on the desktop.

We’ve yet to put the Precision M6500 through its paces, but we plan to bring you a full review soon, alongside Core i7 based mobile workstations from other vendors which are sure to be announced soon. www.dell.com www.intel.com

Dell's new Precision M6500 is a 17-inch mobile workstation with screen resolutions up to 1,920 x 1,200

 The introduction of Intel's Core i7 processor will bring a huge boost to CAD on the mobile platform, just as it did on the desktop



The Precision M6500 features a sleek aluminium chassis, which it inherited from its predecessor, the Precision M6400

8 DECEMBER 2009 / JANUARY 2010 DEVELOP3D.COM

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ARTVPS lets interactive renderer out of the bag

CGTech enhances NX to Vericut interface

C

GTech, the developer of Vericut CNC verification and simulation software, has announced new capabilities for users of Siemens PLM Software’s NX CAM. Building on the existing connection with NX via the "NX-to-Vericut" interface, Vericut users can now reference an NX part file from within their verification session. For existing “NX-to-Vericut” users no additional licenses are required; Vericut opens the part file using the currently installed NX software. www.cgtech.com

AMD cuts price of high-end 3D graphics card » ARTVPS completes its transition to a software business with the release of Shaderlight, a brand new renderer for 3ds max

R

endering solutions provider ArtVPS has launched Shaderlight 1.0, the first full release version of its interactive rendering plug-in for 3ds Max. Shaderlight is a physically-based, progressive ray-tracer that is designed to streamline the rendering pipeline by enabling interactive changes to be made to materials, environments, lighting and textures - the key MELT attributes – at any stage within the rendering process.

Shaderlight works by maintaining the relationship between the colour of the rendered pixel and the elements of the 3D scene that contribute to that pixel. When changes are made to any of the MELT elements the software uses the information embedded

in the intelligent pixels to update the image, instantly, without the need to re-render.

Shaderlight is the culmination of two years of research and development, and marks a shift in focus for ARTVPS. The company started out in 2002 developing bespoke processors to go in its RenderDrive units, but the emergence of multi-core chips and their increased render performance made it much harder to compete.

While Shaderlight will initially be available as a plug in for 3ds Max, ARTVPS currently has plans to develop its software to work with other CAD applications, but is not yet able to disclose details. ARTVPS also conformed that Shaderlight currently uses CPUs for its calculations but is looking at harnessing the power of GPUs through OpenCL. www.artvps.com

With its so-called 'intelligent' pixels, textures and materials can be changed in an instant inside Shaderlight, from leather to material on this Mulberry handbag, for example

A

MD has slashed the price of its FirePro V7700 from £499 to £199. The professional 3D graphics card, which features 512MB of frame buffer memory, DisplayPort and Dual Link DVI output, is available from a number of retailers including Workstation Specialists, Xworks, Armari and Scan.

Meanwhile, hidden away in the release notes for ATI's latest FirePro graphics driver (8.663.3) is 10-bit colour support for Adobe Photoshop. This means that those that can afford HP's DreamColor LP2480xz monitor will now have access to over one billion colours inside the industry standard imaging software 64 times more colours than most LCDs. ati.amd.com

ON DEVELOP3D.COM - LIVE ACTION FROM AUTODESK UNIVERSITY DEVELOP3D's editor, Al Dean filmed the highlights of the Manufacturing keynote from Autodesk University, back in December. The shaky footage adds to its charm, so we are told.

Presentations include: Alias Sketch for AutoCAD, Alias Freeform within Inventor, direct editing in Inventor, product analytics and data management, large 3D model printing, Inventor publisher, Moldflow visualisation, and simulation.

More details DEVELOP3D.com and on page 29 in our full AU2009 report

10 DECEMBER 2009 / JANUARY 2010 DEVELOP3D.COM

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NEWS

ROUND UP

SolidWorks helps Wellstream go with the flow

Materalise, one of Europe’s leading Rapid Prototyping and Manufacturing service bureaux, has implemented TetraShell stereolithography (SL) models in its investment casting process in order to produce superior quality metal models in sizes up to 2,100 x 700 x 800mm www.materialise.com

S

olidWorks is helping UK-based pipeline company, Wellstream International design customised flexible pipelines capable of moving with ocean waves and currents, yet strong enough to contain thousands of gallons of oil and gas pumped at high pressure.

Wellstream manufactures its pipelines from a combination of concentric layers of metallic wires, extruded plastics and tapes. Offshore, crews lay Wellstream pipelines by installing them from a reel like they would a cable.

The flexible pipelines adapt to the seabed’s shape more easily than rigid pipe, and provide a high-integrity connection to floating production vessels.

Support equipment such as clamps, end fittings, fixings and hang-offs – also designed in SolidWorks – join pipeline segments to

each other, to pumps and production vessels.

Engineers at Wellstream’s Newcastle upon Tyne facility use SolidWorks to specially design each pipeline and its supporting structures to customers’ specific needs, then simulate how the pipeline will perform once it’s deployed using SolidWorks Simulation to perform stress assessments.

Wellstream works with SolidWorks reseller SolidSolutions for ongoing training and technical support. www.solidsolutions.co.uk

Flexible flowlines at Wellstream's Newcastle upon Tyne facility.

(C) Wellstream International Limited

Canon to acquire Océ in deal worth €730m

C

anon has announced its intention to buy Océ, the Dutch print company, in a deal worth €730 million. While both company’s product portfolios are extremely broad – from digital cameras to book printing – the proposed move is certain to have a major impact on the wide format printing sector.

Océ has traditionally been strong in production-level wide format monochrome printing and copying, while in recent years Canon has invested heavily in its wide format colour inkjet products. The deal would provide Canon with a top to bottom wide format product range, which would be unique in the marketplace. It would also give Océ access to Canon’s well-established sales and marketing

network throughout Asia and provide both companies cross selling opportunities in Europe and the United States.

The proposed deal is sure to grab the attention of HP, who has been hugely dominant in the wide format inkjet market for many years, but does not have a wide-format monochrome printer offering. According to Reuters, SNS Securities, a Dutch investment banking and securities brokerage firm, said that Hewlett-Packard and Kyocera would have sufficient financing options for a counter bid. However, there have been no indications that a counter offer will materialise and Rokus van Iperen, chief executive of Océ, declined to comment on the possibility of such bids. www.canon.com / www.oce.com

Canon's proposed acquisition of Océ would give the Japanese company access to Océ's extensive wide format monochrome print technology

JCB design engineer scoops image award

3

D rendering software specialist, Lightworks, has announced the results of its latest image competition.

Joint winner, Alex Bonner, a Design Engineer from JCB created his 4WD Teletruk image using Siemens PLM’s NX software. He used HDR lighting and ray tracing to add greater realism to his image entry.

"Rendering using the Lightworks package in-built in NX allows me to quickly visualise existing and new designs to a high degree, traditionally where 'screen grabs' might have sufficed," said Alex. "The reduction in render times for high quality images allows the tools to be used daily rather than occasionally." www.lightworkdesign.com

FARO, a specialist in portable measurement and imaging solutions, presented its new products, FARO Laser Tracker ION and the new version of its CAM2 Q software at the Large Volume Metrology Conference & Exhibition (LVMC) in Chester, which was hosted by Airbus www.faro.com

VX Corporation has released VX 2009 v14.2. The new version not only contains enhancements in drafting, modelling and 2-5 axis CAM, but there is a performance enhancement to the direct edit shape morph technology and improved sectioning of unhealed imported parts www.vx.com

ESI Group, a supplier of digital simulation software for prototyping and manufacturing processes, has released Sheet Metal Forming Simulation Suite Version 2009. Dedicated to all engineers involved in the Sheet Metal Forming process this includes PAMSTAMP 2G and PAM-TUBE 2G www.esi-group.com

PTC and Hornby Hobbies have announced their support of the Scalextric4schools Design / Make / Race Challenge during 2010.

The Scalextric4schools Challenge is designed to support UK school students in Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths www.scalextric4schools.org

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NEWS

SolidWorks Helps blend Modern and Vintage design Westfield engineers used SolidWorks to combine customised and standard components in the Sport Turbo’s design

S

pecialist car company Westfield Sportscars has chosen SolidWorks to help integrate 21st century automotive technology into its 50-year-old body design while meeting European Union safety regulations.

Westfield used SolidWorks supplied by UK reseller, Innova Systems, to develop its recently unveiled Sport Turbo two-seat roadster. The software was used to adapt stock steering systems and power trains to fit in a chassis that first appeared in the 1950s, long before engineers had to worry about 21st century concerns such as air

bags, emission control systems, and export regulations.

“Our challenge was to take a 50-year-old car and make it as modern as possible within the constraints of an older chassis design and the various regulations we had to meet.

We used SolidWorks for most of the design engineering work,” said Westfield Design Manager Ross Dickson. “We re-created the chassis design in SolidWorks, then used it to try and modify a variety of parts and assemblies from other manufacturers. The results make us believe that in design, we’re a step ahead of similar cars on the market.” www.innova-systems.co.uk

Ferrari optimises thermal comfort

I

talian legend Ferrari is using Ansys software to optimise the design and performance of its cars. The latest improvement involves the use of fluid dynamics software to predict thermal comfort in the vehicle’s interior.

Ferrari worked together with the University of Pisa on the project where an experimental approach would have been virtually impossible. www.ansys.com

Geomagic adds CAD creation tools

G

eomagic has combined its three Geomagic Studio offerings into a single package that includes both design-intent and organic shape modeling solutions.

The new package is available immediately at the same price as the former Geomagic Studio Shape Edition. www.geomagic.com

INDUSTRY OPINION - DASSAULT SYSTÈMES' IBM PLM ACQUISITION

N

ow the dust has settled following Dassault Systèmes' proposed acquisition of the sales and support assets of IBM's PLM Sales operation, Allan Behrens of industry consultancy, Taxal offers his thoughts on the deal.

As most will know IBM has recently agreed to an offer to sell its PLM sales and client support operations to Dassault Systèmes. Whilst many will be surprised by this news, there are many among us that believe that this is an inevitable culmination of many years of shifting relationship between IBM and Dassault.

Through highs and lows, the IBM/Dassault relationship has been unique in its execution. Undoubtedly good for Dassault in delivering vast momentum in corporate accounts and clearly beneficial to IBM in increasing its manufacturing market coverage.

So why change? Well my take is that Dassault wants to be closer (read more in control) of its destiny and customers, and IBM is keen to extend its footprint in manufacturing and process industries - to leverage its own software and service revenues (not necessarily with Dassault products). Of course, there are many other reasons, benefits and negatives to the changed relationship (including, of course, financial); however I think it’s fair

 With a knitting of the two teams back into one there’s an opportunity to create a more integrated sales and support engine for the market



to say that due to the constraining nature of the historic IBM/Dassault relationship neither of the above core objectives was particularly achievable. For one there’s too much legacy, and second, these objectives are to a large extent contradictory in nature.

What’s more, with such a large addition to Dassault's sales and support operation, a key enabler to the integration will be the people. That goes for both sides. While IBM and Dassault were (I’d suggest) intimate many years ago, recent actions by Dassault have caused some tensions in the field in both companies. Will the ex-IBMers take to the French management style? Well, that’ll be an interesting one! We’ve seen a number of companies buy foreign entities and fail to deliver significant additive value because of culture clash – I’d suggest that in this market Agile (now Oracle) buying Eigner and Autodesk buying Compass Software might be good examples of this, albeit these were much smaller acquisitions.

On the opportunity side, ever since the separation of IBM and Dassault’s channel and account sales, I’d argue that business has been lost due to a lack of cross incentive, collaboration and knowledge transfer between the two camps. With a knitting of the two teams back into one (again) there’s an opportunity to create a more integrated sales and support engine for the market as a whole – less chance for self interest and more opportunity for leverage. That is, of course, based on an assumption

that Dassault's indirect and direct sales strategies as a single entity are sound. As we’ve not heard of the details to date I’ll hold sway on any comment save to say that there’s significant prospect to deliver additive business if they get their channel strategy right.

While we speculate on the integration, the competition won’t be standing still.

What’s interesting is the low volume of comment from the likes of Siemens PLM and PTC. This must surely be an interesting opportunity for them to forge closer relationships with IBM, giving them access to new accounts and sales channels. In the new order of equality it will be interesting to see the response of IBM’s large account sales teams.

Will the move work? Well as they say, the proof of the pudding is in the eating.

We’ll have to look at IBM and Dassault’s prospects and customers (and results) to see how they take to the changed landscape; and of course let’s not forget the competition that will be eager to ensure unsettled customers and prospects find a safe haven in their ecosystems.

If we’ve learnt anything over the past years it’s that the customer is king. If they see value and benefit from the new constellation then it will work - the threat though is on the counter side.

An interesting move – and one that will, I’m sure, attract much more discussion. allan.behrens@taxal.com

12 DECEMBER 2009 / JANUARY 2010 DEVELOP3D.COM

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9/12/09 16:01:03

AUTODESK INVENTOR TAKES YOU BEYOND 3D TO DIGITAL PROTOTYPING

Autodesk® Inventor® software creates a single digital model that enables you to design, visualise and simulate your products. Inventor helps you to reduce product costs and get innovative designs to market faster.

Find out more about Autodesk Inventor and how it can take you beyond 3D to Digital Prototyping.

www.autodesk.co.uk/beyond3d

Image courtesy of Prensa Jundiai, Brasil Autodesk, AutoCAD and Autodesk Inventor are registered trademarks or trademarks of Autodesk, Inc., and/or its subsidiaries and/or affiliates in the USA and/or other countries. All other brand names, product names or trademarks belong to their respective holders. Autodesk reserves the right to alter product offerings and specifications at any time without notice, and is not responsible for typographical or graphical errors that may appear in this document. © 2009 Autodesk, Inc. All rights reserved.

COMMENT

High-fidelity CAD is extremely powerful, but how well does it support the formative stages of design? In relation to the latest conceptual CAD tools, Al Dean wonders if anything will ever be mightier than the pen!

I

am currently reading ‘Change by Design’ by Tim Brown, former CEO of legendary product design outfit, IDEO. It’s an interesting insight into how IDEO operates and an excellent read, even if much of the content has already done the rounds in the books of Tom Kelley, IDEO’s General Manager.

One chapter in particular struck a chord with me and reminded me of something I’ve been thinking about of late - namely, the design process, the role of technology within it, and why many of us continue to be obsessed with a nice clean notepad and pen so we can get busy with some sketching.

When design starts, it’s a chaotic process, particularly when there’s an open brief. This is the point where the brainstorming session occurs, where research is conducted, and where there are many directions for a design to move in.

As ideas get thrown around, discounted or refined, the use of analogue tools is everywhere. Sketching is prevalent; as is very rough prototyping, styrofoam, scalpels, model boards, wires, screws and all manner of lovely things. Note taking is rife and it’s a truly engaging process.

Moving on, as concepts get refined, we

 start to introduce higher-fidelity CADbased processes. 3D concept models can be quickly knocked up in a CAD system, prototypes move from hand-crafted to machined model board, SLA, SLS or 3D prints, and the product starts to take form.

While these digital tools have an established role in this second stage of conceptual design, will they ever move right to the beginning of process chain?

To my mind, the only product that currently suits this process is SketchBook Pro. Some may also argue Photoshop, though I find this is an incredibly complex product that doesn’t particularly lend itself to the sketching process.

Other than that, what else is there? The short answer is not a lot. Yes, there are surface modelling tools like Rhino, Alias, and solidThinking. Or, for those working on more engineering-led products, possibly to try out mechanisms, tools like MathCAD and SpaceClaim. But I don’t believe any of these are suited to the embryonic stage of design where analogue processes are so tightly ingrained in the human psyche.

Despite being easier to use than ever before, all computer aided conceptual design tool are still complex products. They all need the user to concentrate on using software,

Flexibility needs to improve so that ideas can be captured in many forms, whether that’s a conceptual sketch, mechanism layout or a 3D model



Concept sketches of a universal charging device, made possible by two of mankind’s greatest ever inventions: a 0.5mm fine liner and a Moleskine notebook

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rather than allowing them to truly immerse themselves in the process and capture ideas directly from imagination.

So what needs to change? To my mind, there needs to be a fundamental shift in ease of use, flexibility and portability. Ease of use needs to improve to the point where the user is solely focussed on the process of developing an idea rather than operating the software. Flexibility needs to improve so that ideas can be captured in many forms, whether that’s a conceptual sketch, mechanism layout or a 3D model. And portability is key, as unfortunately not all moments of creative inspiration occur when you’re sat at your desk and lugging around a laptop and digitising tablet simply isn’t practical.

Technologies like multi-touch where the user directly engages with the form, is a step in the right direction, but I don’t see it as being the technology that will change things for good. It’s too detached, to distracting and too unintuitive. SketchBook Mobile from Autodesk certainly has the mobility problem licked and enables users to capture sketch ideas with nothing more than a touch screen and some slick drawing tools, but you still have the barriers of poor resolution and my finger sure ain’t no pen.

The problem is it’s hard to get round every limitation in a digital device, even if the vendors realise the complexity inherent within their tools, engage the user more directly and address these issues with some real innovation. For this reason alone I doubt anyone will be disregarding their Moleskine notebook, 0.5mm fine-liner and fistful of magic markers quite yet. And that makes me very happy indeed.

Al Dean is Editor of DEVELOP3D. He rather enjoyed doing the concept sketch (left). And yes, even after five attempts, he still managed to get the plug upside down. Donkey. al@develop3d.com

9/12/09 18:13:18

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COMMENT

After coming to terms with some teething problems in Microsoft’s new OS, Rob Jamieson is already looking forward to full CAD software support for Windows 7 and realises it will be hard to return to Vista or XP

W

hen I first wrote about Windows Vista, I excitedly predicted that 64-bit would free up CAD software and the world would be good. Unfortunately, it didn’t quite happen that way. In general, there were problems with getting some of the CAD/CAM/CAE software to work effectively on the new platform and in some cases there were some performance/usability issues as well.

Now Windows 7 is shipping and Vista seems like such a long time ago, but will Microsoft deliver with this new operating system? Over the past few weeks I’ve been dipping my toes in to see what it’s like. There is an awful lot to Windows 7, and I’ll need to spend more time with it to get a proper feel, but here are my initial experiences.

The install I decided to install Windows 7 on an old workstation laptop to see how it would cope. I had a choice to install on my existing partition, and perform an upgrade of Windows XP, or start afresh. As I had backed up all the data I needed, I formatted the drive to start from scratch. It took a little while to go through the install screens but once finished I was pleasantly surprised that Windows 7 had installed most of the device drivers I needed. I then installed some anti virus software and went online to do a Windows update. This added a few more device drivers, for things like the laptop’s fingerprint scanner, which impressed me.

The OS installed a basic graphics driver, but not a certified one and as the graphics chip in my mobile workstation didn’t have a dedicated Windows 7 driver I opted for a Vista one. This installed and worked without an issue, so now it was time to do some testing.

First impressions Bootup time in Windows 7 is quick and I went straight to do some simple web browsing and this felt quicker too. I quite like the

 translucent Window frames, Aero peak and snap features. The taskbar is neater with bigger icons that are easier to read. The taskbar is not full of junk and only displays what you really need. But I guess what you really want to know is if, and how, CAD software worked with it?

I have access to trial versions of Autodesk software, so I tried these first. Inventor 2009 had a license problem and wouldn’t start. Inventor 2010 worked and I loaded up and viewed a few assemblies with no problems. I loaded a larger assembly and it warned I was running out of RAM and then locked up. I was on a 32-bit version of Windows 7 with 2GB memory so I can forgive it a little. That said, Windows was using a lot of RAM. The resource monitor is better than XP’s but I wasn’t sure it was reporting everything properly.

OpenGL for 3D graphics is implemented as it was via Vista - if you install a professional graphics card a full OpenGL kernel is installed. I tested multiple OpenGL applications at the same time as some using DX. I’m not sure the full performance was there, but it is still early days.

While I was testing (OK I was having lunch) Windows update did an update and forced a restart. Word recovered my documents, but some CAD software did not, and my minor edits were lost. Not good.

I’ve always thought control should be with the user, and with the operating system to decide to do a forced restart.

My advice would be maybe don’t implement Windows 7 until it’s certified by your software developer



Windows 7 = clearer icons, a neater taskbar and a cool 3D stack of Windows

New Tech Windows 7 continues to update some technologies that started with Vista. Some elements of WinFS (Windows Future Storage), a data storage and management system based on relational databases, are in there.

This can be experienced in the enhanced search functions and the file system also feels quicker in use. Considering all the increases in our file sizes since 2001 when XP was launched, this can only be a good thing.

In Windows 7, Direct X gets a big update to version 11 and a number of CAD software programs use this 3D engine. DX 10 was adopted but most implementations didn’t offer much performance over DX 9 with Vista.

I could write a whole article on DX 11 but here are a few highlights.

The first is the tesselator, which can simplify the mesh of a model to increase performance, and can be calculated by the GPU. In addition to graphics, there are also applications for CAD/CAE and the technology could be utilised in stress analysis software.

Another feature of DX 11 is direct compute.

This means a GPU can be used for more than just graphic calculations, including physics or thermo fluids simulation. Transparencies are supported in a better way through hardware and this will be very useful in CAD. Eyefinity is part of ATI’s DX 11 implementation and means a single GPU can support up to six monitors (OK, shameless plug over). N.B. While DX 11 is at the heart of Windows 7 it will also be available for Windows Vista.

Of course, all of this underlying technology needs to be supported by your CAD software to reap the opportunities of Windows 7 and it’s still early days. My advice would be maybe don’t implement Windows 7 until it’s certified by your software developer. This will most likely be through a new release or, at the very least, a service pack. Overall, I like the usability of Windows 7 and as I write this article in Microsoft Word on the new Operating System I think going back to Vista, never mind XP, is going to be hard for me.

Rob Jamieson is a marketing manager at AMD. With Windows 7, it’s now cool to own a PC, or so he’s been told. This article is his own opinion and may not represent AMD’s positions, strategies or opinions. robert.jamieson@amd.com

DEVELOP3D.COM DECEMBER 2009 / JANUARY 2010 17

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PROFILE

PRODUCT DESIGN SHOWCASE WRIST ACTION

» Doing his best impression of a ‘Flash Harry’ with an array of watches clipped inside his raincoat, Stephen Holmes gets his hands on some of the most elegant timepieces money can buy Moving with the times

T

he town of Glashütte in Eastern Germany is widely regarded as the birthplace of German watchmaking, home to the country’s premiere horologists.

As seen with Nomos Glashütte (p20) tradition plays an important part in what is designed and built by A Lange & Söhne. With a history stretching back to 1845, the company is renowned for its timepieces the world over.

“In fine watchmaking, progress is always a result of curiosity,” states Lutz Grossmann, head of the movement design department.

“At Lange, the development of a new calibre usually starts with a watchmaker’s question: “How can the principles of a mechanical watch and a modern time indication format persuasively be combined?”

“The answer is the first mechanical wristwatch with a truly eloquent jumping numeral display. With the Lange Zeitwerk we wanted to define a new direction in mechanical watchmaking by creating a watch that lets its owner experience a new sense of time.”

A significant amount of energy is required to simultaneously advance all three numeral discs once every hour, and is delivered by a newly developed barrel with an extra-strong mainspring. This features a constant-force escapement between the barrel wheel and the balance acts as a pacemaker for the jumping advancement of the hours and minutes. “In its compactness, the mechanism is quite likely unprecedented,” exclaims Lutz.

The first prototype is built as a 3D CAD model in Solid Edge.

“Each piece is designed by entering all the relevant measurements – often after having drawn the piece on a sheet of paper and having done various calculations. For some parts of the movement we have also created prototypes during this development process to test its function,” explains Lutz, adding that to a minor extent his team uses Finite Element Modelling (FEM), for example, for the improvement of springs, comparing them to the built prototypes to correct springs if necessary.

“Today’s systems don’t allow absolute calculations because of the tininess of our watch components,” reveals Lutz, adding: “but we are curious about the further developments.”

It is likely that in the future this traditional industry will build on its use of design technology, as it continues to move with the times. www.alange-soehne.com

18 DECEMBER 2009 / JANUARY 2010 DEVELOP3D.COM

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9/12/09 09:13:10

The Lange Zeitwerke combines the principles of a mechanical wristwatch with an eloquent jumping numeral display

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PROFILE

It’s all in the wrist

T

his Nomos Glashütte Tangomat watch may be the epitome of simple, elegant design, but there’s a lot going on beneath the surface to make it run smoothly.

The Tangomat is based on a classic model from the German timepiece manufacturer, based in Glashütte, Saxony. Developed over two years as a result of customer requests, it contains a movement that winds itself automatically whenever its wearer moves their arm.

Its design team takes great pride in the aesthetical beauty of its work but also spends a great deal of time developing its own parts and movements to achieve the highest level of accuracy and function.

Initial drafts are made according to basic calculations and a 2D-front view that encompasses all the additional features that the wristwatch will include.

“Now, designers and constructors can work side by side,” explains watchmaker Mirko Heyne. “The construction is set up in 3D. Taking into consideration what methods of manufacturing are at hand, and what methods have a reasonable price. We then design the individual parts. Already during the developmental process, we divide the movement into assemblies to allow for an efficient mounting.

“For construction purposes, we use Solid Edge. This software is employed to create all data for the movements and all drafts. The 2D first drafts, 3D constructions, and 2D sketches of the individual parts are all implemented with the help of this software,” continues Mirko.

When testing parts, theoretical values are calculated in advance through the design process but have to be verified by practical experience. “What we simulate, however, is the assembly process in order to allow for an efficient work process later on,” states Mirko, adding that this helps with the difficult task of predicting a date for the product’s series-production readiness.

Building all its own components requires high quality craftsmanship.

This even relates to prototypes for which Nomos uses high precision nanofabrication x-ray LIGA-technology to build models with properties similar to the final material.

Helpfully, to appreciate all this technology, the Tangomat has a glass back for the wearer to view the Glashütte art of watchmaking in all its glory.

The Tangomat is based on a classic model from German timepiece manufacturer, Nomos Glashütte

A glass back exposes the complex movement that winds itself automatically whenever its wearer moves their arm

www.glashuette.com

20 DECEMBER 2009 / JANUARY 2010 DEVELOP3D.COM

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9/12/09 09:13:38

The Technograph Discotime stainless steel wristwatch features coloured disks to bring life to the dial

It’s disco time!

W

hen it comes to watchmaking, there is no more famous a land than Switzerland, a postcard picture of wooden huts in the snowy mountains with craftsmen delicately working away on wheels and cogs.

While traditional skills are still very much at the heart of the industry, new designs are benefitting from 3D CAD to save time and realise working prototypes before a single physical part is built or assembled.

Paul Picot is a highly regarded watchmaker from the the town of Le Noirmont. Chef de projet, Pascal Franck Kunz, works to produce limited collections of designs, built from precious metals. The latest project is the Technograph Discotime a stainless steel watch that features coloured disks instead of a second hand and a chronograph minute counter, to bring life to the dial.

“Our designer started to work on the

disks idea with sketches on paper. Then we had to model it in 3D to see if it would be realistic,” say Pascal.

“The movement had to be tested to see how it would react to the use of disks, compared to normal hands. The force and power ratios are very different!”

After the 3D development process a physical prototype was built as there are still often slight differences between simulation and practice, however virtual prototyping is a cost and time efficient way of testing concepts.

“The achievement of our projects is the result of the combination of our people, know-how, expertise and creativity and all the technology,” concludes Pascal, acknowledging that software such as SolidWorks is allowing his team to test new concepts and materials such as slate and carbon for future luxury timepieces. www.paulpicot.ch

DEVELOP3D.COM DECEMBER 2009 / JANUARY 2010 21

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PROFILE

Âť The Zon hearing aid is the result of a close collaboration between Starkey Laboratories and Stuart Karten Design. Through a blend of cutting edge technology and innovative industrial design, its developers hope to banish the stigma of an often-maligned product. By Frances Corbet

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1 Electronic ●

components are organised around an injection-moulded spine, which is inserted into the outer injection moulded nylon shell through an opening at the bottom

M

ost of us are familiar with traditional hearing aids unattractive beige, shrimplike objects that fit behind the ear. They certainly aren’t much to look at and it’s no wonder that those experiencing hearing loss have a reluctance to wear something that so obviously shouts disability. Despite the extraordinary advances in hearing aid technology, the actual design of the device itself has not moved on.

Starkey Laboratories, a global supplier of hearing aids, wanted to change that with the launch of the Zon. This sculptural 1.3-inch device, which fits discreetly behind the user’s ear, is almost jewel-like in appearance. “Zon fills a real need in the market. Hearing aids have been a maligned product for years - they are costly, yet many of them pose technical challenges and there are few that visually communicate the value of the investment hearing aids require. Zon solves these problems on many levels,” explains Stuart Karten, founder of Stuart Karten Design (SKD), a Los Angeles-based industrial design consultancy that was involved in the design and development of Zon. Starkey approached SKD to design the Zon due to the consultancy’s experience in ear worn consumer products,

1 including the award winning BT-500 bluetooth headset for Jabra and the Voyager Pro headset for Plantronics. The brief was to package the core hearing aid technology and give it a form factor that would be ‘sexy in the hand and invisible behind the ear’. “Starkey came to SKD with a digital signal processing technology that was very advanced. It eliminates the feedback typical of most hearing aids, but the design had a long way to go,” explains Karten. “SKD’s goal was to express the value of this technology - the incredible value of restored hearing - on the outside of the product.”

Innovation through research With the brief in hand the first thing the consultancy did was carry out extensive research. As part of this research the team immersed itself the hearing aid industry by not only studying competitor products but by attending trade shows, talking with hearing professionals and even studying Starkey’s own production and manufacturing capabilities. “Our designers even went so far as to build a hearing aid on the assembly line,” says Karten.

Of course, consumer research was extremely important and SKD spent a great deal of time with users by both talking to them about their hearing aids and observing them using them. “We conducted ethnographies and contextual inquiries in users’ homes, observing a day in the life of the hearing aid from cleaning and battery

24 DECEMBER 2009 / JANUARY 2010 DEVELOP3D.COM

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changing to adjustment and storage,” says Karten. “It was very important that our design team, most members of which are in their 20s and 30s, gained first hand empathy for the target customer, aged 65 to 80. This research is where some of our most poignant insights arose.” For instance, they observed a seventy-year-old man trying to change the battery of his hearing aid whilst sitting at his dining room table. He confessed that if the battery dropped during this time, he would have no idea where it went because he wouldn’t be able to hear where it landed. So, the designers discovered that the tasks difficult for many users whose dexterity has been compromised by age, such as changing batteries or adjusting volume, were those areas ripe for innovation.

Following the brainstorming sessions and having established the design direction, they began sketching their ideas and came up with ten initial concepts to present to the client, which were rendered using Bunkspeed’s HyperShot, a photorealistic rendering software. According to Karten, although they could have presented sketches or rough prototypes, HyperShot provides a high level of realism that helps the client envision the final product. During the presentation the chosen concept quickly emerged when weighed against the various objectives and criteria. “Its dynamic form was beautiful and provided the best wearing comfort with ample airflow and no ‘hot spots’,” he explains.

The chosen concept also incorporated solutions to many of the user challenges and needs identified in the research. For instance, the control button used to switch between digital Form generation modes and adjust volume is a single oversized push button Having conducted the research, the designers realised that along the hearing aid’s spine, where it is easily accessible their overall aim was to minimise the stigma associated in the worn position. Additionally, the battery door swings with hearing aids. “We learned that people will live in open from the side, allowing users to lay it on a table for denial for an average of eight years before seeking treatment additional support during the battery changing process. for hearing loss. If we could reduce that wait time and make hearing aids a more acceptable treatment option the project Engineering collaboration would be a success,” comments Karten. Additionally, they During the design process, SKD’s designers and engineers wanted to ensure that the hearing aid they developed was worked in close collaboration with the engineers at Starkey. new and different to what was currently on the market.

The particular challenge of packaging all the components Following brainstorming sessions they came up with the in the small space available was resolved by constantly descriptors of “visually crisp and organic”, which would sending Pro/Engineer CAD files back and forth between become the drivers for the hearing aid design. the two companies. The components that had to fit in included a pair of microphones, a battery and a hybrid chip. “The design was essentially modelled around these 2 components, which determined the hearing aid’s size and orientation to a great extent,” explains Dennis Schroeder, SKD’s senior designer who was in charge of rendering and modelling Zon and collaborating with Starkey’s engineers to ensure the performance of the device matched the high level of design. Throughout all of this, careful attention was paid to ergonomics to ensure that the device would be comfortable and absent of hot spots.

People ‘‘ will live in

denial for an average of eight years before seeking treatment for hearing loss. If we could reduce that wait time the project would be a success Stuart Karten, founder of Stuart Karten Design (SKD)

’’

Listen carefully With one of SKD’s specific goals being to improve the Directionality Index - the hearing aid’s ability to clearly pick up sounds coming from certain directions - Schroeder and his team’s key engineering contribution was the location of the microphone port. Highlighted in chrome to delineate its function, the port was placed so that the microphones are horizontal on the user’s ear. “Starkey mentioned to us that the best way to improve directionality was to have the microphone ports line up parallel to the ground when in the worn position, ensuring that each of the two microphones are receiving sound from the same direction in front of the user,” says Schroeder. “By incorporating this principle into the design, SKD helped Starkey improve the Directionality Index of its new hearing aid by 30 per cent.”

3

2 Spot the hearing aid: The Zon is ●

incredibly discreet when worn

3 HyperShot enabled SKD to give its ●

designs a high level of realism and help the client envision the final product

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9/12/09 09:20:02

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Design for manufacture SKD also introduced Starkey to an innovative manufacturing process that would allow Zon to be assembled without parting lines or internal ribs and bosses, giving the device a smooth surface quality and a level of water resistance. The process demonstrated how the shell could be manufactured from a single piece instead of two plastic pieces screwed together.

“Electronic components are organised around an injectionmoulded spine, which is inserted into the outer injection moulded nylon shell through an opening at the bottom of the piece. The microphone port cover and battery door are then attached to procure the spine in place. This process allows Zon to be assembled without parting lines, lending a clean, unified appearance,” explains Schroeder.

nylon resin, which is a very strong and chemical resistant material. “We connected Starkey with Phillips Plastics who helped make this a reality,” says Schroeder.

Refined design

Having carried out further research and testing with the prototypes in order to validate the product design, the model was then refined in Pro/E. The designers found the high level surface modelling and skeleton model functionality of Pro/E particularly beneficial. “Pro/E allows you to attach multiple parts to a master model or skeleton and these parts travel together. For example, when you resize one part, Pro/E automatically adjusts the connected parts to the same scale so that you don’t have to manually re-size them. This was very helpful on Zon because the model had six different parts,” explains Schroeder. As Starkey has its own manufacturing Colour me beautiful and assembly facilities, the CAD data was then sent directly In order to answer the brief of being ‘invisible behind the to the company to produce and assemble the parts. ear’, colour selection and materials played an important The Zon hearing aid was launched in mid 2008 and role in the design. “SKD studied hair and skin tones, certainly meets Karten’s aim for a design that is both talking with make-up specialists and Beverly Hills hair colourists. We learned that natural hair and skin is made up crisp and organic, a fusion between the human and the of varying shades,” says Karten. As a result, SKD developed mechanical. The project also brought much enjoyment to the consultancy. “We’re happy to have a client as open a palette of six understated colours that complement both and collaborative as Starkey has been. We worked directly hair and skin tone. “To make our recommended colour with the company CEO who sees the value that design can palette even more realistic, we encouraged Starkey to use high-gloss metallic paint to mimic the natural translucency add and allowed SKD to be involved at a deep level, from foundational and user research to the complete product and colour variation of hair and skin tones, helping the experience-packaging and retail displays,” says Karten. hearing aids to blend behind the ear better,” continues Since the launch, Zon has not only been praised by users Karten. This was achieved by using a new paint strategy on and hearing aid professionals but has also caught the eye of the design community. One of them being New York’s 4 Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum that presented the consultancy with an award in the People’s Design Award category at its annual National Design Awards gala. This category allows the public to nominate and vote for their favourite design. As Cooper-Hewitt’s director Paul Warwick Thompson said at the awards, the success of Zon demonstrates that good design can indeed have a transformative impact on our everyday lives. Although SKD have received many design awards in the past, this was a special award for Karten. “To take a product that no one wants and banish that stigma is an accomplishment I’m very proud of,” he says.

However, the collaboration with Starkey doesn’t end there and SKD’s next product for the company is due out at the beginning of 2010. It uses the same design language as Zon but in a larger, more powerful hearing aid. “This new product builds upon our initial user research, introducing a new user interface that further simplifies the process of adjusting controls. SKD has done additional research programs for Starkey on hearing aid accessories, docking stations and remote controls. More products are currently in development,” reveals Karten.

To take ‘‘ a product

that no one wants and banish that stigma is an accomplishment I’m very proud of Stuart Karten, founder of Stuart Karten Design (SKD)

’’

www.kartendesign.com / www.starkey.com

5

4 The Zon is available in six ●

understated colours. The use of highgloss metallic paint is designed to mimic the natural translucency and colour variation of hair and skin tones 5 Early Zon concept model produced ●

inside Pro/Engineer

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D N d a ow E y n W F R lo EE ad Tr ia l 30

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REPORT

Autodesk University 2009 » Autodesk University (AU) in Las Vegas closes out the CAD user conference season at the tail end of each year. Al Dean reports back on what everyone wants to know about - the new Autodesk technology that was on show

T

his is a big event. With a capital B. Having moved from the rather alarming Venetian to the Mandalay Bay, this year’s Autodesk University saw just under 6,000 attendees assembly from across the globe to learn about all things Autodesk. This year also saw the launch of AU Virtual, which allowed those not able to attend in person to view the sessions, keynotes and other activities on the web. So all told, this brought attendence to over 20,000.

The one session that’s worth the trip to Autodesk University is the Manufacturing Solutions keynote. This is where we get to see what Autodesk is working on, some of which, as history has proven, is due for the next release, some isn’t and is just at the concept stage. But the chances are that what you see here will make it into a product some point in the next two years (the next major release cycle is due around March next year). Here are the highlights: Alias Sketch for AutoCAD was announced a few days prior to the event and it sees the integration of SketchBook like tools wasn’t too into AutoCAD. While the UI is adapted to its new home, the tools seemseem - per to remain emminently usable. One of the key points about SketchBook and why it’s seen such success is that it has a very stripped back set of tools, unlike Photoshop, and some specialised tools for design-led users.

Alias Freeform within Inventor brings a set of surface manipulation and concept modelling tools to Inventor.

The concept is a single feature which gives you all of the dynamic modelling operations you need to quickly create complex forms, then use the more standard existing tools to add engineering detail. The toolset demonstrated looks extensive and powerful for manipulating geometry, using direct manipulation of curves, points and surfaces. The tools shown were reminiscent of the ISDX-based Style feature within Pro/Engineer and any advanced Pro/E user will tell you that its worth its weight in gold - and remains one of the best selling Pro/E modules.

With the Fusion Tech Preview still going strong, this came a not too much of a surprise, but this was the first time Autodesk has shown any of its direct editing tools fully integrated into Inventor. While things are shaking out with regards Fusion and Change management, if this is what the future of Inventor’s direct editing tools looks like, then there’s interesting updates around the corner.

Elsewhere, Autodesk is looking at making data management more user friendly, using graphical output, colour coding and data filtering, it allows you to grab the information needed quickly.

1

2

3

Also announced at the event and now available, Inventor Publisher Technology Preview is a3D product documentation application for creating assembly/disassembly instructions, manufacturing process instructions and all other manner of 3D documentation. It allows the creation of keyframe style animations with automatic and manual explosion tools as well as tools around the process, such as reversing workflows, managing views and step times as well as a range of output options, from DWF, through movies, PowerPoint and Word docs. There’s also an iPhone publishing platform which provides3D model animation, manipulation. It’s not clear whether data will be local or ‘in the cloud’, but it’s an interesting trend and one that makes huge sense for making ● 1 Autodesk’s CEO documentation and instructions portable.

Carl Bass takes the stage during the The final demo showed how Autodesk are combining General Session knowledge and expertise. Moldflow simulates how plastic is 2 Stratsys built ● injected into a mould tool, but the results it gives are complex. the world’s largest The company’s knowledge of visualisation was used to 3D print of a turbo provide an environment that shows users exactly how a part prop engine. All 188 components were will look should manufacturing defects (such as sink marks) produced in 4 weeks are left to enter into the manufacturing chain. and assembled in

CONCLUSION

2.5 weeks. Cost of this monster was $25,000 compared to four times that for a conventional prototype.

We’ve barely done justice to the event with a single page, but what’s clear is that live events are still hugely popular and by supporting these with digital or virtual events, their 3 Part of the Design ● reach can be truly global and all encompassing. In terms Matters showcase, of what Autodesk is working on, the 2011 Manufacturing the electric powered products (due in March/April 2010) look to be exciting for Misson Motor motorcycle can anyone within the Autodesk Manufacturing and Design achieve 150 miles per community. We can barely contain our excitement. hour for 150 miles au.autodesk.com

with zero emmissions

DEVELOP3D.COM JANUARY 2009 / DECEMBER 2010 29

YS U B BEST HARDWARE

» From desktops and laptops to graphics cards and input devices, Greg Corke picks his top nine CAD workstation products from 2009

Workstations Entry-level XWorks X2a While Intel dominates the workstation sector, AMD’s Phenom II X4 Quad Core processor offers plenty of “bang-for-buck”, for want of a less clichéd recommendation.

The 2.8GHz Phenom II X4 925 at the heart of this backto-basics workstation offers incredible performance for a machine that at time of review cost just over £700.

Performance CAD Workstation Specialists WSX114

" iiÊÊ Special mentionv >ÀÊ`Ì ià Workstation Specialists WS1400

At time of review we called this the ‘ultimate mid-range CAD machine’, but " iÊ v ÀÊÌ iÊÃ in hindsight this >` i overclocked beast is probably better described as ‘performance CAD’. With an Intel Core i7 processor running at 4.0GHz most mainstream workstations can’t touch it when it comes to raw CAD performance, and for this alone we can forgive the fact that it’s not as quiet as other WS’ machines.

Excellent price/performance with Intel’s Core i5 processor

www.workstationspecialists.com

p49 December / January DEVELOP3D (tinyurl.com/ykavmfv)

p57 September DEVELOP3D (tinyurl.com/ykrxtqr)

Mid range Scan 3XS X58 WS Core i7

High-end HP Z800

www.xworksinteractive.com p47 February DEVELOP3D (tinyurl.com/yctnrpd)

If you forget, for a minute, the overly elaborate hard drive system, then this mid-range workstation is an excellent all-round CAD iÊ workstation. Somev " clever ÀÊÌ iÊ ` iÃget overclocking means >you a 3.2GHz Core i7 processor for the price of a 2.66GHz model and this is backed up with 6GB RAM and an Nvidia Quadro FX 1800 graphics card. www.scan.co.uk p54 September DEVELOP3D (tinyurl.com/yk99hy9)

Special mention Lenovo ThinkStation S20 Solid, well built CAD/CAM workstation p49 July / August DEVELOP3D (tinyurl.com/yf4ffvh)

HP completely re-thought the desktop workstation when designing the Z800 and it’s in a league of its own when it " iÊ v ÀÊÌ iÊÃ comes to quality of >` i build and ease of serviceability. With two Intel Xeon 5500 processors at the heart and a maximum capacity of 192GB RAM it’s also a powerhouse for multithreaded CAE, CAM and rendering applications, but this level of quality doesn’t come cheap. www.hp.com p38 April DEVELOP3D (tinyurl.com/yhncggd)

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9 0 0 2 F O UYS PROFESSIONAL GRAPHICS CARDS

Entry-level AMD ATI Fire Pro V3750

Mid-range Nvidia Quadro FX 1800

It feels a little wrong to brand AMD’s ATI Fire Pro V3750 as an entrylevel graphics card as the 256MB board has enough power to satisfy most mid-range 3D CAD users. But the price tag of £109 doesn’t lie, and means it offers exceptional value for money.

Representing a marked improvement over its predecessor, the Quadro FX 1700, this card is an excellent all round card for CAD. Under SolidWorks and 3ds Max it delivers some impressive scores and with 768MB of memory plenty of capacity for shaders and geometry.

www.ati.amd.com

www.pny-europe.com

p46 May/June DEVELOP3D

p46 May/June DEVELOP3D

(tinyurl.com/yg9lkal)

(tinyurl.com/yg9lkal)

Special mention AMD ATI FirePro V5700 Close competition to the FX1800 and also less expensive

" iÊ v ÀÊÌ iÊÃ >` i

p46 May/June DEVELOP3D (tinyurl.com/yg9lkal)

" iÊ v ÀÊÌ iÊÃ

MOBILE WORKSTATIONS

>` i

Laptop Lenovo ThinkPad W500

Desktop replacement Dell Precision M6400

Powerful enough for a desktop replacement for mainstream CAD, the ThinkPad W500, with its 15-inch screen, still retains its portability and is ideal for an everyday laptop. It sports all the classic ThinkPad features, such as the ThinkLight, trackpoint and an integrated WWAN module, plus it’s nice and solid and built to take knocks.

For true desktop performance in a mobile workstation, albeit a pretty hefty one, Dell has all bases covered with the M6400. Its four DIMM slots make it stand out from the competition and mean it can have 8GB RAM without costing the earth. With " iÊ v ÀÊÌ iÊÃ its sleek lines and >` i aluminium chassis it also looks the part, but it’s let down a little by its springy keyboard.

www.lenovo.com/thinkpad p57 January DEVELOP3D (tinyurl.com/yfsw8pl)

www.dell.co.uk/precision p47 March DEVELOP3D (tinyurl.com/y9dv4v9)

" iÊ v ÀÊÌ iÊÃ

>` i DEVICES INPUT

3Dconnexion SpacePilot Pro When it comes to manipulating models on screen, the SpacePilot Pro provides ultimate control for a wide range of 3D applications. The new colour LCD screen displays a series of context-sensitive shortcuts, which change according to the modelling task at hand, and the surrounding buttons provide easy access to keyboard shortcuts and preset views. www.3dconnexion.com p48 May/June DEVELOP3D (tinyurl.com/yfnb9rc)

" iÊ v ÀÊÌ iÊÃ >` i

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9/12/09 10:06:03

REVIEWS

PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT TECHNOLOGY

solidThinking Inspired 8.0

» Al Dean test drives a relatively unknown modelling tool from Italy and gets to grips with an innovative new technology that draws inspiration from nature to drive conceptual design. Ladies and Gentlemen, say hello to solidThinking

F

irst released in 1991, in Vicenza Italy, by the Mazzardo brothers, solidThinking was acquired by Altair Engineering in 2008 and is now a wholly owned subsidiary of the Michiganbased simulation specialist. The Windows and Mac-based software is a concept modeller that enables industrial designers to develop and iterate new products and forms using a combination of solid and surface geometry. To create complex shapes, the system uses standard curve and surface modelling techniques, but with one major difference. solidThinking retains what is referred to as a construction history. This makes it easy to make changes to underlying geometry and also retains the ease of manipulation that’s not typically available in many surface modellers.

User Interface For those familiar with tools like Alias and Rhino, the user interface is not dissimilar and is nicely laid out. The majority of the interface is devoted to modelling (using the four port window arrangement as standard) with model creation and editing toolbars on the left, and zoom, view settings, grid and snaps across the top. On the right hand side of the screen panels provide access to the layer and history tree as well as presenting command options and variables.

3

» Product: solidThinking 8.0 » Supplier: solidThinking Price on application www.solidthinking.com

1 1 The solidThinking ●

user interface features commands to the left, general tools to the top and the Construction Tree, layer control and operation variables to the right. The UI remains consistent between PC and Mac versions

Commands are grouped logically, and are arranged according to both geometry type and workflow. The first is transformation (move, rotate, scale, and edit), and then subsequent commands follow a typical workflow, from curve, through surface creation, poly-mesh editing, point cloud handling and into dimensioning, and rendering set-up (lights, textures 2 The viewport ● configuration allows etc). There are also dedicated tools for users to set-up the UI analysis and construction plane editing. on a per project basis Finally, there are the links to the new and the views remain solidThinking Inspired application, but synchronised more on that shortly.

3 Jewellery piece ● With solidThinking’s history-based courtesy of ElfiDesign approach the software works differently 4 solidThinking users, ● from most concept modellers. Everything Emanuele Rodella that is created and operated on is tracked (rodelladesign.com) and Paolo De Lucchi in the Construction Tree, and this allows (delucchiworkshop.com) users to grab geometry (typically curves) are developing the and make fundamental changes to Amniosense which the form. When performing trimming gives a more private and intersection, many of the system’s interpretation of the classic chaise longue operations don’t require explicit surfaces to

2 be built - much of it is driven by curves and intelligent operations, rather than having to build every surface required.

Visualisation tools Alongside the pure geometry creation and editing tools, solidThinking includes a range of tools for concept generation and surface development. Much of these relate to rendering and visualisation and work on several levels. Firstly, the system includes a wide range of shading tools, that allow users to view models in wireframe, shaded, and shaded with curves. However,

Intelligent curve-based modelling workflow

1 Start creating basic curves to drive a history-based ●

concept and extrude two curves

2 Use the blend surface tool to create a curvature continuous ●

connecting surface between the inner and outer surfaces

3 Use the blend surface tool again to create close out ●

surfaces at the intersection point. Note that these are driven from two surface edge curves, which typically is not ideal, but the system still creates the surfaces nicely

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SOFTWARE REVIEW

4 the system also includes a new high-quality shading environment that provides HDR image-based tools to evaluate the quality of surface reflections in real time.

To refine the image further the system includes a number of rendering options.

These start with the standard scan-line rendering tools, which have been present in the system since the first releases, and move up to a new real time renderer and a new progressive renderer (a la hyperShot and PhotoView 360). Both new renderers support workflow-based use as you edit the model, but also allow you to output highresolution images as you require them. The various rendering tools are also backed up with a comprehensive library of textures

4 Use the Environment Shading option to evaluate the ●

and image-maps (both standard and HDR based) that allow you to create photo realistic imagery.

morphogenesis Now, while most of the tools we’ve discussed so far have formed the foundation of the product for years, there is a technology inside solidThinking 8.0 that is brand spanking new. solidThinking Inspired is the first in a series of technology releases relating to an area that the developers are calling morphogenesis. It is used to generate interesting new load bearing forms that can be used by the industrial designer as the foundation for new product concepts.

Morphogenesis draws inspiration from

form as you tinker with the curves to play with shape. All the geometry updates in real time

 With solidThinking’s history-based approach the software works differently from most conceptual design modelling applications

 Altair’s Optistruct system, a topology optimisation tool that is used heavily in both automotive and aerospace and in the case of one of Altair’s flagship customers, Boeing, for the development of structural members within its airframes.

5 By changing the curve geometry from which the surface ●

stack is built, concept iterations can be created very quickly

6 Here, the outer curve is used to create a different ●

iteration to try out new ideas and have the surface stack rebuild automatically

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The technology simulates bone structure, which in nature automatically forms to distribute loads in the most efficient manner.

This natural optimisation is encapsulated in Wollf’s Law, which states that ‘bone in a healthy person or animal will adapt to the loads it is placed under.’

Starting off inside solidThinking, the designer defines the working envelope of a product. This needs to be a simple, watertight solid with basic geometric features. Once the model is complete it is then transferred to the standalone Inspired application with the click of an icon.

5 Automotive Lighting Rear Lamps s.p.a ●

uses solidThinking to develop lighting cluster concepts for major automotive OEMs and create photorealistic renders of their products. Volvo image courtesy of Automotive Lighting

5

The Inspired interface is clean, sparse and incredibly intuitive and the designer uses a combination of icons and direct input to define where the shape is restrained and where loading occurs.

Values can be added for forces, but these do not need to be accurate - a simple ball park figure will suffice.

The next stage is to run the morphogenesis algorithm. Here, the system automatically calculates where structure is required and more importantly, where it can be removed. Any number of different forms can be generated by the designer, and this is done simply by adjusting sliders and graphs. Once the designer is happy with the form it can be brought back into solidThinking and used as the foundation for further design exploration. This is where the more traditional modelling tools come

solidThinking Inspired & Morphogenesis workflow

1 Basic form created using two cube primatives and a ●

Boolean operation

2 The basic solid is transferred to solidThinking Inspired and ●

the user begins to assign the forces acting upon it. Ball park figures will suffice

3 Once the loads and constraints are in place, the ●

Morphogenesis calculation can be run

Modern software for design. modo© image by Eduardo Nakamura.

See our Gallery at Luxology.com

Design Matters.

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SOFTWARE REVIEW

into play and these can be used clean up the geometry, generate smooth surfaces and develop the forms into a more cohesive concept model.

It’s important to note that while morphogenesis is based on industry proven simulation technology, it’s not designed to provide a specific answer to a design problem. The goal is to generate inspiration for a design, rather than hard answers.



Conclusion

are nowhere near as constrained.

The surface creation selection is first class and can be used to create very high quality forms, but most importantly it is quick and easy to create any number of design variants and concepts. And with the new rendering tools, colours, surface treatment and material options can be quickly and accurately evaluated.

solidThinking has an incredibly rich toolkit for conceptual design. The curve-based workflow will be familiar to anyone that is used to tools like Alias and Rhino, but for those schooled in more structured modelling applications - such as SolidWorks, Inventor, Pro/E etc - it’ll take a little bit of adjustment. This is primarily because things

Morphogenesis lets designers explore structure and the performance requirements of a product at a very early stage of the design process



4 The system presents the structure it calculates based ●

on the user’s input. Material remains where needed and is removed where it isn’t critical

5 Once an interesting form has been generated, it can be ●

transferred back to solidThinking for further work as the inspiration for curve/surface modelling

Of course, a major part of this release is the introduction solidThinking Inspired and the morphogenesis tools. I’ve been playing with this non-stop since I first got my hands on it and it’s a fascinating tool for the designer. Using a world-class technology as its foundation, it lets designers explore structure and the performance requirements of a product at a very early stage of the design process.

In many cases, the system offers up ideas that might not be immediately obvious and which can be the basis for creating truly intriguing and standout products. But the most interesting thing is that this ‘creative’ process is also generating forms based on sound structure - and to quote DEVELOP3D contributor and product designer, Joe Moak, “Form really does love Function”.

6 The inherent tools in solidThinking can be used to create a ●

cleaner curve and surface set and develop a concept around the ‘experimental’ structure

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SpaceClaim 2009+

» Al Dean takes a look at the second version of SpaceClaim to be released this year, and finds a system that is starting to find a home amongst simulation users, at the same time as introducing some unique model manipulation capabilities

W

hen SpaceClaim was first released it was clear it had the potential to become the next big thing in 3D design.

The company’s founders had an enviable track record of success and the product offered something, if not unique, certainly well packaged and different from the mainstream. Yes, it followed the non-history, direct modelling approach found in the likes of CoCreate and IronCAD, but the really interesting thing was the user experience.

SpaceClaim was ultra-dynamic. Users interacted directly with the geometry, and only re-coursed to toolbars and icons rarely.

That was something of a shift.

In the intervening years the product has started to find a niche. From talking to its customers it’s clear there’s an emerging interest from two sets of users in particular.

Firstly, those that have a lot to offer the design process in terms of ideas, but have historically had no real interest in traditional CAD. Secondly those involved in simulation.

Both sets of users typically have a lot of

» Product: SpaceClaim 2009+ » Supplier: SpaceClaim Price from £1,865 www.spaceclaim.com

technical knowledge in their chosen area, but learning a mainstream 3D CAD system is not a priority, particularly as some of these systems are prohibitively expensive for ‘occasional’ CAD users.

Modelling updates

1 This imported ●

model demonstrates some surfaces that didn’t initially knit together into a solid.

SpaceClaim’s Repair tools identify problem areas, which can be fixed individually or automatically

1

For the 2009+ release there are three key updates to SpaceClaim’s core modelling capabilities.

The first enables bodies to be locked in order to prevent unintentional changes being made to their form. With SpaceClaim, users don’t need to have an intimate knowledge of how the model is constructed as they would with a history-based system.

While that’s incredibly powerful, it also means geometry can be changed without the user realising it - particularly when using the power selection panel. This new capability allows specific bodies to be locked (remember, SpaceClaim allows multiple bodies within a single part), meaning that working envelopes and interface features can be locked and remain consistent.

The second update is that curves created on faces can be more easily manipulated, whereas in previous versions it was often a case of ‘touch it and miss’. This means that users can quickly sketch out feature shapes using curves, directly on a face, then more easily refine and manipulate those curves as required.

The third update is regarding round creation and editing. One of the major problems with direct modelling techniques, irrespective of the vendor, surrounds the manipulation of anything other than simple rounds and fillets. In many choreographed direct modelling demos, fillets are usually uniform in radius, but these idealised cases, which are required for a clean edit, don’t

often happen in the real world. To overcome this, SpaceClaim now includes a dedicated round slicing tool that allows the user to work through fillet chains and remove them one by one, section by section, so the system has a chance to rebuild the sharp edges required. Then, if needs be, the more powerful rounding tools can be used to add back in the new fillets where required.

There have been a number of other updates across the system’s range of capability (such as in surfacing, pattern creation and the use of construction geometry), but these are the key updates.

Modelling for Simulation For the last year or so, SpaceClaim has been working with one of the masters of simulation, Ansys, and the company recently took on SpaceClaim as the preferred modelling solution for its customers. It’s quite clear that Ansys and its customers are having a great deal of influence on the direction of SpaceClaim, and many of the updates in the 2009+ release target the simulation user. In specifics, there is a concentration on making the de-featuring or abstraction of geometry both easier and more powerful, particularly when dealing with complex geometric conditions.

The new release also sees the beginning of greater integration between SpaceClaim and Ansys Workbench, manifesting itself with tools that support beam-based simulation tasks. Those involved in simulation will already know that using beam elements dramatically reduces the calculation time for simulation runs, as each element has knowledge of its own structure and beam properties (moment of inertia etc). When used alongside Workbench, SpaceClaim allows users to create a beam suitable model

SPACECLAIM to ANSYS WORKBENCH Workflow

1 SpaceClaim opens the native CAD beam designs with the ●

existing detailed features such as mitres at the intersections

2 SpaceClaim’s Beam Extract tool uses SpaceClaim’s geometry ●

recognition engine to identify the beams as engineering objects and initially shows them in their simplified state

3 The engineering representation in SpaceClaim includes ●

the original cross sections, along with material and sectional information

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SOFTWARE REVIEW

3 2 Not all rounds, such as this selected chain, are easily removed in one ●

2

operation. In these cases, SpaceClaim provides the ability to subdivide round chains

3 SpaceClaim’s Round Removal tool can remove individual rounds or split ●

rounds into separate pieces by removing the centre

(whether that’s framework for machinery, structural steel doesn’t really matter). The system has a library of standard sections but custom sections can also be added.

Once the 3D design has been developed, users can then extract the beams from the geometry, create the theoretical model and transfer it to workbench for simulation. The link is maintained, so geometry modifications can be made within SpaceClaim and quick moved through the simulation process for validation (see the SpaceClaim to Ansys Workbench workflow below).

SpaceClaim lends itself to direct input.

Multi-touch devices are at a very formative stage of development and commercialisation and outside of the iPod Touch and iPhone, there is little that is commercially available.

However, from speaking to the major hardware vendors, it’s clear that this will change in the coming months, particularly as the multi-touch enabled Windows 7 starts to proliferate. However, for the time being it’s unlikely that many SpaceClaim users will make use of its capabilities.

Multi-touch

For the past few years SpaceClaim has been finding its feet and is now starting to carve itself a real niche. From the ourset its developers identified that there is a class of 3D user out there that doesn’t want to learn one of the all-encompassing mainstream modelling tools. These users want something to let them capture their ideas and move them on into other areas such as manufacturing or simulation. The link to Ansys Workbench is a perfect example of this and a strong recommendation from one of the simulation sector’s leading players.

All in all, SpaceClaim 2009+ is another solid release and one that sees one of the newest 3D modelling systems on the block advance with a range of modelling updates, while still managing to keep things simple.

The final section in this review is something rather unique and that is multi touch. A few months back on develop3d.com we posted a rather impressive video demo that the SpaceClaim team had put together. Now with the release of 2009+ we are seeing the first shipment of those tools. SpaceClaim has taken its already intuitive user interface and added in support for multi-touch, allowing users to directly model and manipulate both the view and the geometry, using their fingers rather than the mouse and keyboard.

The basics are covered with multi-touch view rotation, panning and zooming, but also selection tools (such as the fourfinger box and lasso) and gesture support.

The existing graphical feedback within

Conclusion

4 As extracted, the beams don’t meet at vertices because ●

the original CAD geometry was mitred. SpaceClaim’s Extend tool automatically detects the gaps and can automatically joins the beams at all of the vertices

4 After subdivision, the remaining small rounds are easily removed ●

 SpaceClaim includes a dedicated round slicing tool that allows the user to work through fillet chains and remove them one by one, section by section



4

5 Direct modelling works on beams in solid geometry. Here, a ●

new driving dimension uses SpaceClaim’s Move tool to set up a parameter for external optimisation

6 SpaceClaim launches Ansys Workbench for multiphysics ●

optimisation. The engineering beams, their cross sections, materials, and the driving dimensions are all transferred

DEVELOP3D.COM DECEMBER 2009 / JANUARY 2010 37

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modo 401 (with SolidWorks)

» In 2008 SolidWorks teamed up with Luxology to develop PhotoView360 and delivered advanced rendering capabilities for SolidWorks users. Now with modo 401, Luxology is providing the next step on the path to visual perfection, writes Josh Mings

T

his door you’re about to open, I’d be careful... just sayin’... because your cold, hard SolidWorks models are about to be attacked with bump map and HDR lighting goodness, the likes of which you’ve never thought possible. To begin, you need to change the way you think about 3D modelling and rendering. The good ol’ days of ‘CAD’ we loved have been put inside a jar and shaken vigorously. No longer are we working with simple sketches and extruded chunks of Parasolid data. We are increasingly working with the materials themselves and if what you’re about to discover doesn’t convince you that modelling and rendering has changed, you may need to be shaken vigorously yourself.

Back in the day

Audi R8 model courtesy of Daniel Lavoie (www.solidworksaudir8.com)

To reminisce a little, there was a time when SolidWorks started adding bits and bobs of options for materials and lighting. In the meantime, developers for various rendering

programs were exploring shading and ways to make 3D graphics pop out and slap you upside your senses. The desire to make both look more lifelike was there, but, for some reason, the rigid popularity of 2D constraints just didn’t mesh with the cinematic adoration of shape-shifting robots. Something was missing in the middle and only recently has this changed.

With industrial design’s need for realistic conceptualisation and advertisers insisting that shampoo bottles should explode off the telly, we’re seeing both disciplines overlap.

Fortunately for SolidWorks users, they’re smack dab in the middle of it all.

In the early years of SolidWorks there was Photoworks. For those who didn’t find it completely frustrating, model rendering was forever changed as materials suddenly became more realistic. Next came RealView, which provided real-time visualisation capabilities. Then, in 2008 SolidWorks model rendering received two slaps and 500 volts to the chest when PhotoView360

» Product: modo 401 » Supplier: Luxology Price from $995 www.luxology.com

1 Audi R8 model ●

as viewed using SolidWorks RealView 2 Audi R8 inside ●

1

modo 401 after import of SolidWorks model 3 modo render of ●

Audi R8 model

(PV360) was launched. There was now a direct conduit to rendering very realistic models, very fast… but it didn’t stop there.

Welcome modo PV360 came out of a relationship between SolidWorks and Luxology, the maker of a program called modo that combines advanced polygon modelling with highend sculpting, rendering and animation.

Obviously there was more at play here and with the release of modo 401 in the summer of 2009, the way SolidWorks users would be able to render changed forever. Direct import capability. No plug-in, no settings.

Simply open the SolidWorks model in modo and you’re ready to render.

While it’s easy to knock out a quick render, modo includes much more power under the hood. From the UI to cameras views, there are settings and adjustments for nearly every object. SolidWorks users are sure to find the modelling, animation and rendering vastly different but also hugely powerful. Dimensions, relations and trees of sketches and features would all be missed, but honestly, it should be pretty easy to figure out a few material and light settings.

When compared to PV360, modo extends the capabilities to applying custom materials, textures and source lighting while in the same environment allowing geometry to be adjusted and animated. It is in no way linked parametrically to SolidWorks, but does mean data doesn’t have to be swapped back and forth between modo and SolidWorks, which can be a huge time saver.

A streamlined workflow SolidWorks 2010 and PV360 have also been specifically developed to help make the transition from SolidWorks to

SolidWorks to modo Workflow The process of going from SolidWorks to modo could not be easier. There’s nothing especially difficult about opening a file. It’s afterwards that everything can seem a little foreign. This quick guide will get you started down the right path and allow you to experience some of the initial adjustments you’ll want to make when creating a rendering.

Although materials are brought over from SolidWorks and PV360, this assumes you have no materials applied, so you’re able to become more familiar with how materials work in modo.

1 Open SolidWorks File in Modo. ●

Simple. Just go to File, Open and select the SolidWorks file you want to open

2 Change Static Meshes to Mesh ●

SolidWorks files come in as a Static Mesh.

To be able to select polygons, go to the right column, Items viewport, Ctrl-select each grayed-out item, right-click and choose Change Type, Mesh

3 Add Ground Hold Shift and select Plane ●

from the left-hand side toolbox. Hit the W-key and use the arrows to adjust it if necessary. On the right-hand side rename the Plane item to ‘Ground’ then select the Properties tab below and adjust the X and Z Scale to extend beyond your object

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SOFTWARE REVIEW

getting to grips with modo 401 Y-up Modo is a Y-up modeler, meaning the Y-axis points up. Fortunately, the default SolidWorks templates are also Y-up. If the model hasn’t been designed in the Y-up position, not a problem.

The modo coordinate system can be changed (System, Preferences, Accuracy and Units) with a single click. The model can also be put into a new SolidWorks template and oriented in the Y-up position.

Moving around in modo In modo, there are view tools in the upper right of the camera viewport to help you rotate, pan and zoom. Using the mouse and keyboard, however, is different from SolidWorks. Rotate the model with the Alt-key and left-click. Pan with Alt-Shift. Zoom in and out with Alt-Ctrl or with the mouse scroll wheel.

2 modo even cleaner. SolidWorks, PV360, and modo all now use the same types of material presets. In other words, when a material is slapped on a part in SolidWorks, the same material is seen on the part in PV360 and on the part in modo.

The same applies for decals.

In addition to material recognition, parts that are patterned in SolidWorks are also recognised and replicated in modo. This saves time by not having to apply materials to multiple objects and simply speeds up workflow and rendering time. Modo 401 is the first version to have these capabilities and modo is the first rendering program to recognise and import SolidWorks and PV360 appearances.

3

4 Delete Imported Materials There are ●

many more material options within modo.

To prepare your model, first remove the materials brought over from SolidWorks. In the upper right column, select the Shader Tree tab, Ctrl-select each item with a red dot and hit Delete.

Conclusion Over the past few years SolidWorks has done a lot to add realism to the modelling environment, but for increasingly realistic visuals there have still been challenges when importing SolidWorks files into rendering programs. PV360 and modo changed this by allowing you to directly import SolidWorks models complete with replicated structure, but modo takes this up a notch with a much wider range of possibilities. In short, it provides the perfection of modelling, rendering, animation and more in a single interface.

But modo is more than just a powerful rendering tool. The development work between SolidWorks and Luxology means a bridge is being created between two complimentary 3D disciplines, a bridge that enables engineers and designers to give life to their ideas. It doesn’t matter if you’re a master at making sweet 3D graphics or just introducing your mind to the concept of a third dimension, all the old ways of creating cool looking visuals have changed. To put it bluntly, it’s now damn simple to make your models look amazing and for those who want a seamless path from parametric 3D design to animated realism, modo is it.

5 Adjust the Environment In the same ●

Shader Tree tab, select Render (purple sphere icon) In the Properties tab below the Shader Tree, select Global Illumination along the right side. Set Ambient Intensity to 0.0 and click to enable Indirect Illumination. Select the Environment Material below that and change Environment Type to Physically-based Daylight

SuperGroups and Replicators SuperGroups and Replicators are created when a SolidWorks file is opened in modo. If there is only one instance of a component brought in, it is grouped together with other parts into one mesh item called a SuperGroup. If there are multiple instances of a component (a patterned part for example) a Replicator is created. They help save time applying materials as well as memory processing time. To prevent superGroups from being created, duplicate the parts in SolidWorks before importing to modo, and delete the replicated items as needed.

Items and Shader Tree Viewports The Items list and Shader Tree are equivalent to the FeatureTree in SolidWorks. If you’re familiar with Photoshop layers, the Shader Tree will make more sense, as each item acts a layer that overrides the other items below it. Each item you select has a corresponding Property tab with other setting that show up below.

 To put it bluntly, it’s now damn simple to make your models look amazing and for those who want a seamless path from parametric 3D design to animated realism, modo is it



6 Add Materials To add a material, hit the ●

3-key on the keyboard for Polygon select mode. Double-click the object you want to add a material to and hit the M-key for Material. Type a name. Do this for each part that needs a material

7 Set Materials To the upper left select the ●

Render tab. Select the Shader Tree tab in the right column again. Materials have the red dot icon. Select one, then go to the left column and browse for a material. Doubleclick to apply the material to the item

.

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modo - the view of the pros

» To get a more in depth perspective on modo, we asked three professional SolidWorks

and modo users one question. “What is your perspective on using modo as a rendering package to supplement SolidWorks and PhotoView360?”

Rob Rodriguez - robrodriguez.com

M

odo is a very capable piece of software. I think most SolidWorks users importing their models to modo would do so primarily for rendering an animation work but it’s certainly capable of much more than that.

The SolidWorks to modo translation is a bit sketchy in its current form. The 32-bit version of modo can read native SolidWorks files (it does this quite well) and it does so based on the same “loader” software PV360 uses. Once your SolidWorks file is loaded into modo, you’ll find there is a fair amount of set-up to be done before you’re ready to begin rendering and animation tasks. Once these details are worked out in modo you’ll be able to work in a similar fashion as you do within PV360. Modo does have preset materials and scenes which make setting up quick renderings straight forward.

The great thing about modo is the user can go beyond, way beyond, the rendering and animation capabilities of SolidWorks and PV360 if they choose. The increased capability in modo does have a learning curve, but being able to move to the next level of realism makes it worth it.

 The great thing about modo is users can go way beyond the rendering and animation capabilities of SolidWorks and PV360 if they choose

 ROB’s rendering tips Take the time to fully learn and understand the Shader Tree and Items list in modo.

It’s the equivalent to the SolidWorks FeatureTree and holds the same importance.

Bloom is an effect that can give areas of your image a glow. As you would expect this can be helpful when your using light appearances such as LED, neon and area lights. What you wouldn’t expect is can also be useful to add glow to areas of your image that are just bright or have bright highlights.

40 DECEMBER 2009 / JANUARY 2010 DEVELOP3D.COM

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SOFTWARE REVIEW

Paul McCrorey - macwithamac.com

M

odo provides power and flexibility in terms of four very useful aspects over PV360 - composition, materials, lighting and animation.

Composition: You can make on-the-fly composition changes. It seems I always want to tweak a widget to move out from behind a thingy-ma-jig when I am preparing to render. While it’s not extremely painful, I would rather not have to go back and forth between SolidWorks and PV360 to get it right. In modo, I am able to make those changes right in the camera view. In fact, as scary as it sounds, I have even used modo’s poly modelling to add to my imported Solidworks models.

Materials: You have extreme power over tweaking materials through the Shader Tree. For example, the gold within PV360 is too shiny, too perfect. In modo, I am able to make a myriad of tweaks to the material. Tweaks like ‘blur’ the reflections, add dirt, scratches or image maps. The Shader Tree offers a lot of flexibility over PV360’s drag and drop.

Lighting: You have the ability to add various types of lights and locate them precisely where you want them. Being able to make changes to the lights onthe-fly - through the camera (or through the light itself) is a big plus. This goes hand-in-hand with the composition mentioned above.

Animation: While this can be a challenge for the SolidWorks user to pickup due to terminology, the animation engine in Modo is awesome

and getting... more awesome. I would say the possibilities for a SolidWorks user wanting to animate their stuff are pretty awesome....er... incredible. One example is the graph editor that allows you to fine tune motion parameters.

The main reason I dropped the coin out of my own pocket for modo is that it has the beautiful rendering capability found in PV360, it imports my SolidWorks models and it allows me the flexibility mentioned above. I am definitely happy to have added it to my workflow as both an engineer and a CG artist. I know the Luxology team is developing modo to make the transition even more streamlined between SolidWorks and modo... (although, it isn’t horrible right now).

The kinds of things they are working on will definitely make it a great tool for those wanting to take renderings and animation past a basic level. Don’t get me wrong, I still use PV360 to whip out some renderings quite often. However, I find myself spending most of my time in modo.

As I become more familiar with the tool, that will likely increase.

Paul’s rendering tips For PV360 or modo, one way to get around not having direct lighting is to use luminous geometry. Slap an appropriately-scaled panel in your model. Then, in PV360, add a light material to it. You can use it to bring light to areas of your model that the HDRI doesn’t light sufficiently.

Another lighting cheat is to turn faces of your geometry into lights. For example you could make

a small face of an object a light material with .75 w/srm2 value. It gives just enough subtle light to show what is going on.

For modo, I would highly recommend Ryan Drue’s awesome tutorial on modo 401 rendering techniques. www.luxology.com/store/17_shadertree/

Greg Leuenberger - sabpro.com

W

hen using modo for rendering you get all the speed and quality of PV360 with even more texturing and mapping control than you can get within PV360 itself... much less SolidWorks.

However, there’s more upfront work involved in ‘prepping’ your model. Modo lacks the convenient ‘modes’ that PV360 has, which allow you to drop materials on parts, bodies and faces. When you bring a SolidWorks file into modo you need to convert the ‘static’ mesh into a regular mesh item so you can manually select the geometry

you want to apply materials to. This can be a bit tedious compared to PV360 but better tools will be coming to expedite this process. It is during this ‘prepping’ phase that you would also arrange your scene for animation (separating out the parts you want to move...like levers, lids, buttons...placing pivots, constraints, etc.)

Once your scene is prepped you can use modo’s deep mapping, texturing and lighting tools. You have much greater access than PV360 to advanced effects like fur, volume lights, displacement, rendering passes, UV mapping and

manipulation, painting, sculpting and animation.

I think most people would take their SolidWorks files into modo... do some prepping (either limited prepping if you just want to do renders or more involved prepping if you need to do a full-blown product tour animation) and then move on to texturing and lighting. You can easily increase the quality of your renderings by placing the SolidWorks models in context with some set design, either by modelling skies, pedestals, etc. or by using pre-exiting mesh assets.

Greg’s rendering tips One of the things lacking in modo’s material presets are little things like dirt, grime and scuff maps. You can paint and map these easily in modo, including baking Ambient Occlusion passes to be used as masks for dirt. These are the little things that bring your renders the rest of the way towards realism. .



With modo you get all the speed and quality of PV360 with even more texturing and mapping control

 DEVELOP3D.COM DECEMBER 2009 / JANUARY 2010 43

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SOFTWARE REVIEW

Vero’s VISI 17: Design

» Vero Software’s VISI product has been significantly reworked over the last few releases and the areas it covers have also been expanded. In the first of a two-part look at the system, Al Dean covers what’s new in VISI 17 for design

V

ero is one of a rare breed of 3D technology vendors that focuses on one thing. Getting specific jobs done. Whilst other better known vendors develop generic tools that serve a huge, but highly horizontal slice of the 3D market, companies like Vero master the verticals and then expand outward.

Vero’s background is in preparation for manufacturing, whether that’s 3D design and simulation - the focus of this article - or mould and die design and NC programming which we’ll cover in the next edition of DEVELOP3D. The company develops a huge range of tools that support tooling design, machining, progressive die development, 3-axis up to 5-axis machining and all points in between.

In recent years, Vero has redeveloped its range of systems to integrate new technology (such as VISI Flow for injection moulding simulation) and to bring its software up to speed. Today, VISI is a fresh and modern looking system that has some serious power beneath a very shiny exterior.

So let’s have a look at what’s new.

User experience VISI’s User Interface (UI) is under a constant state of refinement and many of the commands have been consolidated in recent releases, particularly in the machining arena. For the 17.0 release, the emphasis is now on making the 3D graphics work faster.

By working with ATI and Nvidia, Vero has implemented a new technology called Vertex Object Buffers (VBOs), which can help boost real-time 3D performance. VBOs take raw geometry processing away from the CPU and move it onto the GPU (Graphics Processing Unit). As all data is loaded up to the GPU, the amount of memory on the graphics card is important. Any professional OpenGL 2.1+

1

1 card with 256MB or more should be enough, but check with Vero for advice. If you don’t have enough graphics memory, the performance will slow down considerably.

While we haven’t tested the technology first hand, Vero claims that by implementing VBOs, combined with other graphical developments, it has managed to increase the frames-per-second rate by over 20 times. This should not only make on-screen model rotation smoother but should enable users to work effectively with much more complex geometry sets, which are typical of Vero customers.

Part development Moving onto the use of the system ‘in anger’, the first development of note is the work on geometry alignment or mating.

2

2

» Product: VISI 17 » Supplier: Vero Software Price on application www.vero-software.com

This refers to both 2D and 3D geometry and allows users to quickly grab geometry, copy it, paste it and reuse it. In relation to tooling design, either in the form of the tools themselves or plastic components (such as bosses, snap fits and such), the ability to quickly grab geometry, wrangle it into position and continue to work on it is invaluable, but repetitive, so this makes huge sense.

Another generally applicable update is the face selection tools. When selecting a face, the system can now find matching faces by cylindrical or planar relationships.

This is great for moving hole features or pocket faces within a complex solid. The face selection can even find tangentially connected faces within a user-defined angular deviation based on seed face or 1 Part thickness showing rolling ball results ● 2 Part thickness displayed with ray method ● 3 Dynamic sectioning of results ●

3 DEVELOP3D.COM DECEMBER 2009 / JANUARY 2010 45

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SOFTWARE REVIEW

edge pick. With VISI’s surface modelling tools, users can make some pretty serious modifications using direct modelling tools - and it’s been able to do it for years - how about that for synchronous technology?

Assembly modelling In previous releases, when working on assemblies, users would need to run basic volume calculations and then hand calc the weight. This release gives ready access to much more information about how a part stacks. Alongside auto-calculated volume, users can now define a material from an extensive database, as well as cost, and supplier, for example. This pays dividends when creating Bills of Materials, or running up cost lists. On a design level, centres of gravity can also be accurately identified.

This is essential for tooling and positioning the eye-bolt for lifting mould stacks.

Thickness analysis Another incredibly handy update is the introduction of model thickness analysis, something that’s been spun off and extended from Vero’s VISI Flow product.

Basically, this allows users to discover a part’s true thickness, which is essential for ensuring good mould-ability. Any major change in part thickness can cause major moulding issues such internal voids, surface sink marks, unpredictable shrink rates and ultimately, longer cycle times.

The system uses two algorithms - a raybased method that is common in many CAD tools, but also a rolling ball approach.

The shooting ray method fires a ray through the model along the surface normal until it hits a second face. The disadvantage of this approach is that it doesn’t give a true 3D thickness as it is only looking in one direction.

4

 VISI has an incredible quantity of tools for adapting and fixing imported geometry, for modelling from scratch, or for making modifications for premanufacturing preparation  The rolling ball method is based on the largest sphere that can be placed within the model without intersecting any other face.

Whichever method is used, the system presents the results with a customisable range shading, together with sectioning tools, which are handy for finding internal areas which could cause sink marks. The results can then be saved out as HTML files and distributed.

Conclusion

Drawing and plotting Moving onto the heady world of drawing creation, there has been a lot of work for this release, particularly in regards to assisting with the creation of general assembly layouts from a fully complete stack. One major enhancement in this area is the ability to split the VISI file

visi 17 workflow EDIT BLENDS TANGENT FACE SELECTION

4 Intelligent mating ●

conditions for solid and wire geometry allow quick and easy geometry reuse, whether 2D profiles or 3D geometry

1 1 It is necessary to edit the orange radii around ●

the top of the cavity form

visi 17 workflow INCLINE FACE MATCHING FACE SELECTION faces from the automotive casting

In the scope of this review, we’ve barely scratched the surface of what VISI is capable of, and we’ll move onto the more specialised tools next issue when we look at injection moulding simulation, mould design and machining. For now, suffice to say that VISI has an incredible quantity of tools for adapting and fixing imported geometry, for modelling from scratch, or for making modifications for pre-manufacturing preparation. And while these tools have been within VISI for nearly two decades, the developers are doing sterling work to ensure that they are up to date, modern and fresh.

I can’t wait to dig into the manufacturingspecific tools in our February 2010 edition, so stay tuned for more.

2 2 Using tangent face selection, it is only necessary ●

to select one single edge and using tangency deviation the system can detect two selection combinations (either side of the defining edge)

1 1 It is necessary to edit the angle of the orange ●

into separate 3D & 2D environments to allow multiple users to work on product detailing. Once completed, the individual files can be brought back together into one file and the links to the original 3D data rebuilt. This is backed up with view creation, which is much more automated, and creates plate layouts, and subassembly diagrams of each individual component and then automatically scales to fit the selected paper size. It doesn’t add the annotation, but the system creates the basic page layouts automatically saving users the repetitive work often involved.

Plotting is something that seems somewhat trivial to discuss these days, but it’s still incredibly important for many.

This release allows users to preview prints and see exactly what they are going to get.

Page size is set according to printer and distributed accordingly. For example, A4 prints go to the standard office printer, while the big sheets go to wide format printers.

3 3 With the faces detected, it is possible to modify ●

the radii value using direct editing with a single operation

2 2 Using matching face selection, it is only ●

necessary to select a single face and all matching faces will be automatically selected

3 3 After defining a rotation point, it is possible to ●

incline the face angle using direct editing

DEVELOP3D.COM DECEMBER 2009 / JANUARY 2010 47

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HARDWARE REVIEW

Workstation Specialists WS1400 » An impressive, near silent entry-level CAD workstation which benefits from the enhanced TurboBoost feature in Intel’s new Core i5 processor. By Greg Corke

W

ith the levels of performance offered by today’s multi-core chips, the term ‘entry-level workstation’ is often a bit of a misnomer. For CAD, virtually all modern workstations are powerful enough for standard 3D modelling tasks and it’s only when you start upping the ante with large assembly modelling, rendering, or simulation that specs need to be stepped up a notch.

As tech progresses, yesterday’s ‘mid-range’ soon becomes today’s ‘entry-level’ and by embracing Intel’s new Core i5 processor at the heart of its new WS1400 workstation, this is effectively what Derby-based Workstation Specialists (WS) has done.

Until recently Workstation Specialists used Intel’s Core 2 Duo as its entry-level workstation processor, reserving the Core i7 for its mid-range machines. However, with the introduction of the Core i5 and new generation Core i7 processors, this has changed and WS is now able to boost the performance of its entry-level workstation range, without significantly increasing the price point.

The WS1400 is available with three processor options – the Core i5 750 (2.66GHz), Core i7 860 (2.80GHz) and Core i7 870 (2.93GHz). While the Core i5 750 inside our test machine enables WS to bring the price in just under the £1,000 mark, those that use rendering alongside their everyday CAD work would probably consider an £85 upgrade to a Core i7 860 money well spent. This not only boosts clock speed, but adds support for HyperThreading, which increases performance in virtually all rendering applications. We would expect around a 15-20% reduction in rendering times in 3ds Max when moving from the Core i5 750 to the Core i7 860.

WS recently standardised on a single chassis for all of its workstations, from the entry-level to the high-end, and its machines now have a distinctive look. A front panel hides the DVD tray, but the USB and Firewire ports and headphone and microphone jacks can still be accessed when the door is shut.

The downside of using the same chassis across its entire range is that the W1400 is fairly large for a workstation of its

» Intel Core i5 750 (2.66GHz) processor » 4GB (2 x 2GB) DDR3 (1,333MHz) memory » WSX motherboard (Intel P55 Chipset) » 160GB Seagate Barracuda hard drive (7,200RPM) » AMD ATI FirePro V5700 graphics card (512MB) » Windows XP x64 (with free Windows 7 Upgrade) » 36 months full parts and labour warranty £999 workstationspecialists.com » Benchmarks Graphics (frames per second - bigger is better) SolidWorks 2009 - 30.3 3ds Max Design 2010 - 4.4 Inventor 2010 - 3.3 CPU (secs - smaller is better) 3ds Max Design 2010 - 496

standing, particularly when compared to entry-level machines from the likes of Dell, HP and Lenovo.

Compact, not exactly, but quiet yes. As is typical for most WS machines, the WS1400 is virtually silent in operation, even at full load. From our past experiences, it’s obvious that the tech guys at WS have a good handle on how to efficiently cool a workstation, but some of this has to be down to the incredible thermal efficiency of the new Intel chip.

Intel quotes a maximum Thermal Design Power (TDP) of 85W for the 2.66GHz Core i5 750 (compared to 130W for the previous generation 2.66GHz Core i7 920) and in short less heat means less to cool.

The reduced power requirements also equate to lower running costs. In terms of the overall power consumption of the WS1400, WS quotes 0.9W on standby, 42W on idle, 73W on full load single CPU core and 120W on full load all CPU cores.

For those considering an upgrade from a Pentium 4-based workstation, one of Intel’s most inefficient CPUs in recent years, the WS1400 is claimed to use up to three times less power, which over the course of a year equates to a significant amount of cash saved. Get out your kWh calculator to find out exactly how much.

In submitting this machine for review as an entry-level workstation, one of the key aims was to keep the price under £1,000.

A careful choice of graphics card is a major contributing factor to this, and AMD’s FirePro V5700 represents excellent value for money, even though it’s positioned as a mid-range card. It also put in a strong performance in all of our 3D benchmarks.

In terms of memory the WS1400 supports dual channel instead of triple channel, which

 The Core i5 is incredibly power efficient and this equates to significantly lower running costs, particularly when compared to the Pentium 4

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The lowdown on Intel’s Core i5 Intel announced the Core i7 at the tail end of 2008 and this brought Quad Core

processors to the mainstream. Now it has launched the Core i5 processor, which is designed specifically for price/performance.

Alongside this it has also introduced two new mid-range Core i7 processors.

The Core i5 750

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is standard in all Core i7 900 series-based workstations. While this means reduced memory bandwidth, most CAD users should experience little difference. However, it may cause a slow down in memory intensive rendering or simulation applications.

The upside of dual channel memory is increased flexibility. Because memory is deployed in pairs rather than in multiples of three, WS can offer 4GB (2 x 2GB) as its standard entry-level solution, instead of 6GB (3 x 2GB). This is because it considers 3GB (3 x 1GB) to be too little for most CAD users.

Overall, the WS1400 is a highly capable entry-level workstation and the increased TurboBoost in the Core i5 makes it an excellent choice for users of single threaded CAD applications. For anyone using rendering software, a £85 upgrade to the Core i7 860 is a worthwhile investment, simply to get access to HyperThreading’s virtual cores, but the £300 upgrade to a Core i7 870 would be harder to justify.

For those on an even tighter budget a downgrade to a FirePro V3750 would still make it a great entry-level machine for 3D CAD and bring the overall system price to just over £800.

(2.66GHz), Core i7 860 (2,8GHz) and Core i7 870 (2.93GHz) are all based on a new technology from Intel called Lynnfield.

This is an evolution of the original Core i7 architecture and will co-exist with the current Core i7 900

series, which at time of print was available in clock speeds of up to 3.20GHz. The Core i5 and all the new Core i7 chips are quad core, and while there are many similarities with the original Core i7 900 series

CPUs, they are based on the new smaller LGA 1156 socket.

This means they are not compatible with previous generation motherboards. They are also more energy efficient. Elsewhere, dual channel memory is used instead of triple channel memory, and turbo mode, which dynamically overclocks

a single CPU core when others are idle, has been boosted from 266MHz to 667MHz. This should be of great benefit for users single threaded CAD applications.

So what’s the difference between the Core i5 and the new Core i7 processors? Apart from the clock speed,

it all comes down to HyperThreading (HT), Intel’s virtual core technology. The Core i7 supports HT and as a result can feature eight virtual CPU cores, whereas the Core i5 is a standard quad core processor. However, HT only really makes a difference under rendering applications. www.intel.com

9/12/09 10:20:19

THE LAST WORD

With British universities oversubscribed and operating at capacity, one would have thought that our nation is producing a talented new generation. Talented, maybe, but sadly not interested in science or engineering, writes Martyn Day

T

he history of British engineering and invention is something we can all look upon with great pride, from the Rocket steam train to the Harrier Jump Jet; Isambard Kingdom Brunel to James Dyson, let it not be said that we don’t have good ideas.

However while we created the Industrial Revolution we have been unable to stay ahead of other countries, with UK engineering in long term decline for the last fifty years.

This rich heritage is rarely taught in schools and engineering is not particularly promoted or associated with a positive image. The net result is a generation of wannabe celebrity chefs, X-Factor warblers and ‘business studies’ apprentice-style sales fodder. A friend of mine who works at a wellknown university told me that the Business Studies degree intake is so large they can’t all fit in the lecture hall, and that’s including using the steps as seats. Meanwhile they don’t know if they have enough heads to run their Engineering courses.

Current statistics tell of a very sad state of affairs. For instance, the number of electrical engineering students enrolling in universities has continued to fall year on

 year, with a 45 per cent decline in numbers of engineering students between 2001 and 2008. And it gets worse, when you consider that out of those graduates, around 60% do not subsequently pursue a career in engineering. To broaden the science issue further, there are more painful stats that include the closure of over 30% of university physics departments and 10% of chemistry departments.

This decline in the popularity of engineering and science comes at a time when there has been a considerable increase in overall student numbers over the past ten years, thanks to Mr. Blair’s fascination with up-skilling the nation’s qualifications by dumbing down the exam system.

Industry and engineering company leaders have warned that this trend is already having a bearing on the UK’s ability to compete in the global engineering and manufacturing marketplace. While many will lament the loss of much of our manufacturing capacity to China and India, we are also in competition and losing to rising eastern European firms.

Now the goose that laid the golden egg, the Financial services industry has soiled the basket that most of our eggs were in.

Selling debt is no longer in fashion, we now have to create wealth by making stuff and designing products, if not physically

Napoleon once called us a nation of shopkeepers, I’d hate for this business studies generation to ultimately prove him right

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making them. For that we need engineers harnessing the latest design technology. We can’t have another growth bubble funded on indebtedness and self-cert mortgages.

Fortunately we still have a solid base to work from and world-renowned expertise in many key engineering areas and a huge opportunity to expand into emerging markets such as green power.

Although here, the current government’s wind power policy relies on the long lead-times of precision bearings that are nearly all made in Germany. We need clear support for all design and manufacturing industries, especially as the UK looks to be the last economy to emerge from the global recession. Napoleon once called us a nation of shopkeepers, I’d hate for this business studies generation to ultimately prove him right.

Martyn Day is Consulting Editor of DEVELOP3D. He wonders what happened to all the inspirational science teachers he had when he was at school - please tell. martyn@develop3d.com

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9/12/09 10:21:34