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Dear Fellow Engineering Professionals,
Much of our work is working with
parts from other CAD systems. Below are a few jobs we have done using
multiple systems in getting the job done. I was working with a company designing a new phone system. The original concept was done in Pro/E and we are using KEYCREATOR as the basic coordinating system, since that is what the phone company personnel are currently using. With KEYCREATOR we imported the file from Pro/E and defined the basic configurations (which we had 3) by striping and recreating surfaces then healing into a good solid. KEYCREATOR is the product I always fall back on because of its ease of use and incredible ability to work with all forms of graphics, 2D/3D wireframe, surfaces and solids in a true 3D space. I then started adding keyholes and other features in IRONCAD, because of its drag and drop, Tri-ball and dynamic handles offer fast and easy conceptual modeling with the ability to quickly change the design. We move the parts between the systems with parasolid or ACIS files. I have even took a part into VX to do some surfacing when I couldn't get the surface correct in KEYCREATOR. Study 2: Our job is to provide drawings for inspection and creation of complex part for a new private jet. These part were originally designed in Unigraphics. The company that is making these parts have a multitude of high end CAD systems, since it does business with some of the largest aerospace companies in the world. They use KEYCREATOR as the work horse CAD system. We import these parts as Parasolid or use the direct UG direct translator. Then set them up in KEYCREATOR's great 3D space and then create drawing in the layout mode. KEYCREATOR with the layout mode offers the most flexible detailing package available. I have been doing these parts very successfully. Study 3: We have been doing the solid models and drawings for the Seattle Monorail fix. We have gotten the original German drawings scanned into a DXF format. This technology has come of age, we are delivered data that can be used to create our solids in our fixes or new design. There is just no other program that can match KEYCREATOR to take DXF/DWG data into its wonderful 3D space and work with it. I have been working with the doors, to create a solid model of the door. I have taken the door to a level where I can now move it into IRONCAD to do the continued mechanical design. The customer uses KEYCREATOR and I will do most of the design in IRONCAD, doing the presentation drawings and renderings as we move through the project. The final release will be in KEYCREATOR. What I am saying is that it is really nice to have a couple of different CAD systems to enhance your modeling capabilities and increase your productivity. It is not hard to learn another system. I personally have a bit of trouble with the Pro/E design paradigm, with the heavy constraints and having to create a plane and sketch, separate part and assembly workspaces, but I am getting used to it. I do prefer the ease of use of IRONCAD and KEYCREATOR. I will give you a brief description of the products we sell and how they differ. CADKEY Now KEYCREATOR - $3,700.00 includes 3 months Maintenance There really is no package that can touch KEYCREATOR for ease of use and ability to do all CAD work. From 2D wireframe to the most complex surfaced and solid models. This is the package I grab when I am working with a complex surfaced model. Its easy to use true 3D space offers unlimited capabilities. Taking an imported model and use it for new design or modify it is no problem. The really nice thing about KEYCREATOR is when you are done with the part you are done with the part, no long history list to understand and have to learn before modifying a part you didn't do. Many say "You haven't got a history", well yes we do. With our new ability to nest levels, keeping track of how you built your part is very easy by saving it in different states of creation. KEYCREATORoffers a very cost effective solution. IRONCAD - $3,495.00 INOVATE - $1,295.00 Now with Kinematics!! This is a great package for concept design. Even if you are using a part from another system is can modify features and surfaces directly and even delete features if required. It is by far the best of both worlds, history based and direct feature editing. It realistic rendering and animation are part of the base program and is available at the touch of a button. If you need a sketch the drafting module is fast and easy to use and is totally associated with the base part. This a very easy interface, the drag and drop allows you to drag a basic shape and start carving, need a hole grab one and drag it on to the part. But if you have a special shape you need to create you have all the capabilities of a Pro/E like sketching mode, in fact all of the "Intellishapes" are based on 2D sketches. IRONCAD also has a inexpensive modeling only module called INOVATE that has virtually all the IRONCAD modeling, rendering and animation capabilities. With its easy to use history based solid modeling plus the integrated realistic rendering and animation it is a great add-on for KEYCREATOR at only $1,295.00. IRONCAD/INOVATE 9.0 is now available.
We will also have special
pricing for VX Designer,
VX Mold Design and VX Design offers sophisticated capabilities equal to and surpassing many of the high end CAD products. It offers all of the Pro/E paradigm modeling capabilities, plus integrated advanced surfacing. You can work directly on IGES files, try that with any other system. With its point cloud surface creation it is by far the best program for reverse engineering. Add Sheetmetal, detailing, PDM, Assembly, rendering, kinematics, etc. and you are on you way to having the most powerful CAD system at any price. But with this power comes sophisticated user interface. Comparable to Solidworks and Solid Edge, but easier than Pro/E. At this price this program is worth the time invested. VX also offers a Mold design package and a 3 Axis (4 and 5 axis available) CNC module. With its true history based modeling it offers complete associativity with these 2 packages. If the native or imported (IGES, parasolid, STEP) file changes the mold or CNC tool path changes. There is just more than I can tell you about this package. Go to http://www.vx.com/thevxdifference.cfm to see more.
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