USING MULTIPLE SYSTEMS 

Many of our jobs require that we work with parts from other CAD systems. Below are a few jobs we have done using multiple systems in getting the job done.

Study 1:

I was working with a company designing a new phone system. The original concept was done by industrial designers in Pro/E. We were working in KEYCREATOR since that is what the company personnel were 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. 

I quickly moved to IRONCAD (which is much better at conceptual design) and started adding keyholes and other features, because of its drag and drop, Tri-ball and dynamic push/pull handles it offered fast and easy conceptual modeling with the ability to quickly change the design. IRONCAD has both history/feature based and direct editing capabilities so it was easy to move parts back and forth between the two systems with parasolid or ACIS files. KEYCREATOR was a bit limited since it could only directly edit the model and put us in a corner a few times. I also took parts into ZW3D when advanced surfacing was required..

Study 2:

Our job was to provide drawings for inspection and creation of complex parts for a new private jet.  These part were originally designed in Unigraphics.  The company that was contract to make these parts had a myriad of high end CAD systems, since it does business with some of the largest aerospace companies in the world. But no one could use then.  We import these parts into iRONCAD using the direct UG direct translator and created the drawings.

Study 3:

We have been doing the solid models and drawings for the Seattle Monorail fix.  We got 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.  I have been working with the doors, to create a solid model of the door.  I did most of the design in IRONCAD, with some ZW3D support, doing the presentation drawings and renderings as we move through the project. 

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 ZW3D. I will give you a brief description of the products we sell and how they differ. Please go here to see more of the project including the history.

Study 4:

A customer came to me from a recommendation with a Solidworks project. He wanted to make this strap taller. I asked him why he didn't get the original designer to do the modification and he said he couldn't get to it in time. I then told him I didn't have Solidworks and would have to do it in a different program. He just asked "Can you get the job done fast?".

In doing the job I notice that the draft was causing some problems. I soon realized that the Solidworks part had the draft originating from top plane of the part. For the original part this was a slight change and would probably not be noticed but with the increased height this would be unacceptable. I could not create the necessary draft from the diagonal face in IRONCAD and moved the part to KEYCREATOR which had this capability in its surfacing package. See the difference below.

The original part

The revised part.

Now remember this was Solidworks 2006 so I don't know if it has the capability now. It was a benefit to have another package available.

Here is another rendering showing both parts.

Study 5:

This was another job from the same customer as above. I imported the Solidworks part file directly and edit the part by extending the tube with the boss and reducing the size of the hole in IRONCAD. It just took minutes to modify. But as you can see I can work with any program. This is the advantage of working with a program that can directly edit the part. As I have said before IRONCAD/INOVATE are the only programs that have both history/feature based and direct edit modeling integrated in the core of the program.

Here are both parts.

INOVATE is a great add-on to your current system or systems. For $1,295.00 you have the ability to work on any part from any system. Just give me a call for more information. ZW3D for only $1,795.00 is also and incredible value if you need a sophisticated complete program with advanced surfacing and options for mold and die design and CNC.

IRONCAD CONNECTION - $3,995.00

INOVATE CONNECTION - $1,295.00!!

The above include TRANS which includes the following Translators:

Import Pro/E, Siemen NX, Solidworks and Inventor.

Import/export Catia 4 and 5 plus all the standard formats.

The above special is good through 12-31-2011

Download a 30 day Evaluation Today!

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 2011is now available.

ZW3D Special Pricing

STANDARD $1,795.00
PRO             $2,495.00
PREMIUM   $4,995.00

The above special is good through 12-31-2011

Download the ZW3D 2011

ZW3D STANDARD 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. ZW3D PRO a Mold design package and ZW3D PREMIUM offers 3 Axis (4 and 5 axis available) CNC. With its true history based modeling it offers complete associativity with these 2 packages. If the native or imported (IGES, parasolid, STEP, Pro/e, Catia 4 and 5, Solidworks, Siemens NX, Autodesk Inventor) file changes the mold or CNC tool path changes. There is just more than I can tell you about this package.

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