ZW3D vs CATIA Lesson 2 3D Modeling Techniques Defined With Streamlined Sketching/Feature Based Modeling
The modeling technique is
hugely responsible for the level of productivity. Those of you that
are only trained in the constrained sketching world of the major CAD
systems
are truly limited by not using the freedom of Streamlined Sketching
and Feature Based Design,
that is available in even the most Pro/e-ish of CAD systems. If you
or your
designers are designing in these very unproductive and time
consuming processes it might be time to review your standard design
processes. Don't have any do you?
These
lessons started out as
product comparisons, but quickly turned into a study in 3D modeling
techniques.
See this done in
IronCAD! I am not sure if it is due to these
exercises but I have replaced a few Creo, Solidworks and Fusion 360 with ZW3D. Listen to
what these two fellows said.
Brian
"We spoke a year and a
half or so ago about ZW3D. I took the Autodesk Fusion
360 but am becoming increasingly unhappy with it… It’s not very
productive for me, just too slow and cumbersome to get things done
quickly. On on the strength of your recommendations I am ready to
give ZW3D Standard a shot, probably as a rental for the first year.
Bottom line is,
Fusion 360 is “free” but not really free… I am finding that the
slow, clumsy pace of design with it is counterproductive… time is
money."
Thanks much,
Brian
Peter
The initial hull design was done in Rhino, which for some reason
is a standard in the boat industry.
The surface already had
a few problems!
It was imported into Fusion 360 and I did
some of the early concept design work, but when it came to surfacing
I hit road blocks every way I tried it.
At this time Phil
was not part of the project, but I suggested to my client that we
needed Phil's help. Phil also hit road blocks in Fusion 360 even
using some of his unique re-topologizing workflows and T-Splines.
The rest is history, as they say.
Thanks to ZW3D
paired with Phil’s surfacing skills we now have tooling for the hull
created.
You should see the images.
Perfectly smooth
reflections!
Peter
I saw the
following CATIA YouTube tutorial and thought I would give it a
try on ZW3D. I have to tell you it is almost tortuous to watch
the CATIA presenter. CATIA is a constrained sketched based
system as are Fusion 360, Solidworks, NX and Creo. This modeling paradigm is used throughout
the industry causing millions of wasted hours.
I have to say the CATIA
presenter struggle with such a simple part. I cannot imagine the
wasted time CATIA is creating for companies like Boeing, Bombardier,
Airbus, Gulfstream, Chrysler and so many more.
While creating 3D models from a drawing is the very best way to
learn 3D CAD and maybe some design techniques is does not expose the
designer to the design flexibility necessary in product design. ZW3D is all top down due to the
multi-object design environment.
Creating mating parts is a cruise. But modeling is just one aspect of a
well designed productive 3D CAD system.
The drawing is at the end of this article if you would like to try
this lesson.
ZW3D vs CATIA
ZW3D is very similar to
CATIA and the Pro/e
clones with differences that make it much more streamlined. It is very easy for those users
to get up and running with ZW3D. The unique benefits over the other systems
is the multi-object environment with the integrated drawing. You can
do complete projects (parts, assemblies and drawings) in one file.
I would do a
video, but I really am not good at it. So I will show you step by
step. I will try and get ZW3D support to create one. They are
very good.
I usually create the part before I watch
the Video, so as to not taint my process, but this time there was no
drawing so I had to suffer through this presentation getting the
dimensions. Of course,
there are a multitude of ways to create a model. There is no right
way, just more productive ways. But from what I have seen from these
very complicated processes done by the CATIA presenter, it is not
just limited by the 3D CAD system.
The modeling technique is
hugely responsible for the level of productivity. Those of you that
are only trained in the constrained sketching world
are truly limited by not using the freedom of Streamlined Sketching
and Feature Based modeling,
that is available in even the most Pro/e-ish of CAD systems. If your
designers are designing in these very unproductive and time
consuming processes it might be time to review your standard design
processes. Don't have any do you?
I have to say this is
incredibly simple. But the CATIA presenter has been
indoctrinated into these designs techniques. It started with Pro/e (Creo)
and has been the way the sketch, constrain and assemble. The
Solidworks clones are costing the industry millions, if not billions,
in lost productivity.
I actually created this part by
studying the CATIA presenters video since there was no drawing. It
was a bit torturous. But I finally got it modeled and then created a
fully detailed
AID (drawing) and did it again to optimize the modeling process. I had to refined it to a bit better designed
model. You can see by the AID it is a very simple part as compared
to the poor CATIA user. Sadly, we can model anything. But I believe
all CAD engineers should understand basic machining to be a good
designer and modeler to provide inspectable documentation.
Here is ZW3D. It is set to mm so let's
get started
We open a Part/Assembly and call it MASTER ROD
These have actually turned into exercises in
modeling techniques as compared to showing a more productive CAD
system. Again, I say there are many different ways to model a part.
I see with my exposure to direct edit modelers like CADKEY, I
rarely sketch like you see the CATIA fellow doing. I have always
created my basic sketches by mostly creating offsets and trimming or
extending with descriptive geometry as you would to on a drafting
board. It seems to be much easier. I never put in a fillet that
can be created later. What do you think?
We also start with a sketch on the XZ
plane.
We will start
creating the sketch by using entities to set up the basic
construction for my sketch, as you can see I do no constrained
sketching. I call this StreamLined Sketching.
We will add
our tangent arcs.
We now just trim/extend and delete the
unnecessary entities.
We mirror the entities and trim. If you
watch the CATIA Video the presenter stops here creates the half
solid and continues. This such a simple sketch I have no idea why.
I was more complicated to do what he did.
We
now will extrude mid-plane.
We create anther sketch at XZ plane
go to the sketch. We create the two diagonal lines by using the
existing graphics then extend to the circle and add the rectangle.
We just trim as shown and are ready to go to extrude remove.
We
just extrude from mid-point and remove.
We are done with the basic shape and
just add the fillet. We can now add the boss in the middle. We
insert a primitive cylinder at X0Y0Z0 and locate and size it and set
it to add.
Now we do the
same thing for the hole. But this time we locate it a the center of
the block, it is already set to 70m, we just need to set it to
remove.
Now for the four 10m holes. We just use
the hole feature and select the center of the tabs. Mirroring seems
like a silly process for such few entities.
Now create sketch on the XY plane and go to the plane. We create
a vertical line at X0Y0Z0, create an offset line create the arc.
We do our trim and when there are blue dot we know the sketch is
ready. Nope, not one constraint.
We
exit the sketch and extrude the shape.
We
mirror the feature and add the boss at the end by inserting a
primitive cylinder locating and sizing it.
We
insert another primitive cylinder in the center of the new cylinder
size and set to remove.
Now
we just have the slot left. We create a sketch the outside face and
activate it.
We exit the
sketch and extrude the slot.
We mirror the slot and add the
fillets and we are done. I can't imagine hundreds of Boeing, Airbus,
Gulfstream and Bombardier designers struggling with CATIA and
constrained sketching only. I can tell you moving to StreamLined
Sketching and Feature Base modeling would increase productivity 5X
with conceptual design and 10X with changes. The only constant in
engineering is change.
Since we didn't have a drawing we
will now create the AID(Associated Information Document).
But if you have the job of converting drawings to 3D you have to
create a AID to check to see it the model is correct.
Here is the AID (drawing). How would you do this part.
It is very important that you look into
how you or your engineers are creating the parts. Streamline
Sketching and Feature Based Modeling is easy to learn and implement.
It, alone, can increase productivity 10X. Now, ZW3D with its unique
history and robust direct edit functionality can increase your
productivity another 5X or more with changes! Again, time is money
in engineering.
More on Streamline Sketching and Feature Based Modeling.
To experience this increased level of
productivity, please download ZW3D for a 30 day evaluation. Legacy
data is no problem, ZW3D can read the native files of all of the
popular programs including the PMI data of NX, Solidworks, Catia and
Creo. ZW3D is a great replacement for the subscription only Autodesk
and PTC products.
Give me a call if you have any
questions. I can set up a skype or go to meeting to show this part
or answer any of your questions on the operation of ZW3D. It
truly is the Ultimate CAD/CAM System.
