ZW3D vs NX Lesson 1 Assembly 3D Modeling Techniques Defined
True Top Down Assembly/In Context Design In a Multi-Object Design Environment 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 sketch, sketch, constrain, constrain world
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 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 am not sure if it is due to these
exercises but I have replaced a few 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 video challenges on LinkedIn and thought I would give them a
try on IronCAD. I got a great response and decided to do it in ZW3D.
I was very familiar with the parts and did it a bit easier. It shows
more the difference in the level of the 3D CAD experience than the
CAD system itself. You can
Download ZW3D and give it a try.
ZW3D is very similar to Fusion 360 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.
The modeling technique is
hugely responsible for the level of productivity. Those of you that
are only trained in the sketch, sketch, constrain, constrain world
are truly limited by not using the freedom of feature based design,
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. You will see that to any Pro/e clone user
this would be completely out of the box. ZW3D is a history based
system with planes, but it also has primitive shapes to increase
your productivity. It seems to me watching these Fusion 360
exercises that there is no concern for simplifying the process and
increase design productivity. Most of us do engineering design and
have schedules to meet. Not only do these more productive modeling
techniques and a productive system increase design speed it allows
us to meet our goals much easier. Especially with changes.
Here is ZW3D. It is set to mm so let's
get started
Like Fusion 360 we have to set ZW3D for an
assembly. We open a multi-object files.
If you have been
following these exercises you have may have seen this exercise done
in IronCAD. I am much more proficient in IronCAD. What do you expect
after 22 years. ZW3D is very much like Solidworks and other Pro/e
Clones. So I jump through a few more hoops to model. But I am
getting much better and more comfortable. I find the basics of this
this type of modeling has some unique productive features.
These have actually turned into exercises in
modeling techniques as compared to showing a more productive CAD
systems. 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 Fusion 360 fellow doing. I have always
created my basic sketches by mostly creating offsets and trimming or
extending. It seems to be much easier. I never put in a fillet that
can be created later. What do you think?
I will first create my top Block
assembly
We
will now insert our first component the Block
We will now
start our part by inserting a primitive block shape and sizing it.
I will insert a primitive cylinder shape on the face of the block
and locate it.
Now we pattern
the cut.
I insert another primative cylinder
shape on the top of the part size it and locate it. The primitive
can be set to new part, subtract, add or intersect.
I then pattern the hole and we are done
with the part. No sketching at all. Just Feature Based modeling, so
simple, so fast.
We will now insert the block into
the assembly and rotate it.
I looked for this type of screw in the
ZW3D library and couldn't find one. But instead of boring you
watching me making a screw I will just import the screw I created in
IronCAD. I use both ZW3D and IronCAD together in my design. Both
have robust direct edit functionality and a single model
environment.
I will go do IronCAD and export the screw as a
parasolid. I find parasolid the best of the translation formats.
I will import the screw in the new component and locate it.
Now we just insert component select the existing screw.
We
just move it into place and we are done.
Watch the video
again, watch what this poor fellow has to go through to make this
incredibly simple assembly.
That's
it. We were done before the Fusion 360 fellow was done with the sketching
the basic block. I guess it is not fair since ZW3D offers the
flexible primitive shape, virtually eliminating any sketching. As
you can see ZW3D offers a much more productive design environment.
It is a much
different way of modeling. So easy and fast!
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.
