Wednesday, September 23, 2015

2015 COMSOL Conference Features Focus Sessions, Training Workshops

http://www.comsol.com
BURLINGTON, MA, USA, Sep 23, 2015 - COMSOL, the leading provider of multiphysics modeling and simulation software, is pleased to announce the new Focus Sessions and Training Sessions that will be featured at the 11th Annual COMSOL Conference, the world’s largest event for multiphysics simulation and application design. Each session provides attendees with an in-depth look at how to get the most out of modeling.


New Focus Sessions

Focus Sessions are collaborative talks presented by application area experts moderated by a COMSOL Product Manager. These discussion-oriented forums allow like-minded COMSOL software users, COMSOL product managers and software developers to share insights around simulation on specific topics. This year’s Focus Sessions include:
  • Best Practices in Acoustics Simulation
  • Best Practices in Heat Transfer and Phase Change Simulation
  • Best Practices in Electromagnetic Simulations
Training Sessions provide attendees with direct experience with multiphysics modeling using a combination of hands-on activities and traditional lecture taught by COMSOL’s team of experts. More than 30 application-specific training sessions cover multiphysics, optimization, solvers, electrical, mechanical, fluid, chemical, such as:
  • Introduction to the COMSOL Multiphysics software
  • Application Builder and the COMSOL Server license
  • Electromagnetics: Low and High Frequency Modeling
  • Heat Transfer: Conduction and Convection; Radiation
  • Computational Fluid Dynamics: Laminar and Microfluidic Flow; Turbulent and High Mach Number Flow
  • Chemical Engineering: Chemical Reaction Engineering; Electrochemical Engineering
For more information, visit www.comsol.com/conference2015/training-opportunities.

2015 COMSOL Conference Highlights

The 2015 COMSOL Conference focuses on advancing cross-discipline and multiphysics simulation and application design through a multitude of hands-on sessions, keynote talks from industry leaders, and hundreds of user presentations. The Conference through its nine world-wide events brings together thousands of engineers, researchers, and scientists, providing them with the chance to showcase their work, share innovative technologies and best practices, as well as the opportunity to interact with the developers of COMSOL Multiphysics.

The 2015 conference will feature presentations on simulation apps using the Application Builder and COMSOL Server. Other highlights include:
  • Keynote talks from industry leaders
  • User-contributed paper and poster presentations
  • The unveiling of COMSOL version 5.2
  • An exhibition showcasing products offered by hardware- and software suppliers and consultants
  • The chance to interact with peers and explore the simulation work of fellow engineers
The Boston COMSOL Conference 2015 will be held October 7-9, 2015 at the Boston Marriott Newton, Newton, MA. For more details and to register to attend, visit: www.comsol.com/conference2015/boston.

About COMSOL

COMSOL provides simulation software for product design and research to technical enterprises, research labs, and universities through 22 offices and a distributor network throughout the world. Its flagship product, COMSOL Multiphysics, is a software environment for modeling and simulating any physics-based system and for building applications. A particular strength is its ability to account for coupled or multiphysics phenomena. Add-on products expand the simulation platform for electrical, mechanical, fluid flow, and chemical applications. Interfacing tools enable the integration of COMSOL Multiphysics simulation with all major technical computing and CAD tools on the CAE market. For more information, visit www.comsol.com.

Tuesday, September 22, 2015

Registration Opens for IronCAD 2016 Beta Testing Until Oct 10th, 2015

http://www.ironcad.com
ATLANTA, GA, USA, Sep 22, 2015 - IronCAD invites customers to take part in their 2016 pre-release software testing program. Designers working in real world environments can fully explore all avenues of design and discover new functionality targeted to improve productivity.

With the investigative support of their customers, IronCAD is able to elevate their software solutions to higher quality prior to release. Participants can share their ideas, explore new options and help create one of the world's best design solution. When customers join the IronCAD Customer Engagement Program, they'll enjoy the following benefits:
  • Get a look at our next generation product before anyone else;
  • Provide suggestions for improvements;
  • Take pleasure in working closely with IronCAD's development team;
  • Ensure the delivery of a quality product for your future design needs;
Software testing is a fundamental component of IronCAD quality assurance and represents a thorough review of specification, design and coding. During the program, participants will put the products to test and work closely with R&D to refine functionality and address quality issues. This program is an essential part of the quality control processes of a reputed software company and the program ensures that the newly developed software will deliver quality expected from our customers.

How to Participate:

Registration is open to all current customers on support and can be accessed in the IronCAD Community. Please contact your local reseller or IronCAD to obtain your login or to request membership to participate in the program.

About IronCAD

Based in Atlanta, GA, IronCAD is a leading provider of 3D Design Productivity Solutions that deliver the highest levels of customer satisfaction and productivity. Individual components of this solution can be used standalone, complementary within an existing design environment, or can be used together to collaborate effectively throughout the enterprise to extend productivity. Its flagship product IronCAD has won many industry awards for its innovative technology and leads the industry in its ease of use and design productivity. IronCAD products are being used successfully by thousands of customers worldwide. For more information on IronCAD, call 1-800-339-7304 or visit www.ironcad.com.

ITC Releases IntelliCAD 8.1a

http://www.intellicad.org
PORTLAND, OR, USA, Sep 22, 2015 - The IntelliCAD Technology Consortium (ITC) announced the release of IntelliCAD 8.1a.

IntelliCAD 8.1a is a maintenance release that contains over 100 improvements and fixes since the IntelliCAD 8.1 release in July 2015, which included support for Microsoft Windows 10 and many new features such as multi-core processing, support for opening and saving .dwg files version 2015, and developing end-user applications with Microsoft .NET 4.5.

Improvements in IntelliCAD 8.1a can be found in the ribbon interface, working with hatches, entity modification, and many additional areas.

Interested IntelliCAD users can contact ITC members to receive details about availability of IntelliCAD software.

About IntelliCAD Technology Consortium (ITC)

The IntelliCAD Technology Consortium is an independent, non-profit organization funded and directed by its members specifically for the development of the IntelliCAD technology. The IntelliCAD Technology Consortium licenses the IntelliCAD technology to its commercial members, who in turn market and sell applications based on IntelliCAD to their end users. Commercial members have access to the IntelliCAD source code, documentation, developer support, and more. The ITC is also a founding member of the Open Design Alliance, thereby contributing to interoperability in the engineering industry. For more information, visit http://www.intellicad.org or call 1-503-293-7655.

Delcam ArtCAM Express 2015 R2 Supports 3D Printing

http://www.delcam.com
BIRMINGHAM, UK, Sep 22, 2015 - Delcam has made a number of enhancements to its ArtCAM Express software, including changes to make modelling easier and to speed up machining simulation. The price of this entry-level version of the company’s ArtCAM artistic CADCAM system, which is designed for hobbyists and users new to CNC machining, remains at US$149, £99 or 125 Euros.


ArtCAM Express 2015 R2 offers 2D drawing, over 600 free pieces of relief clipart, and 2D and standard 3D machining functions. It provides an ideal introduction to computer-based manufacturing for companies and hobbyists involved in engraving, routing and signmaking, or other areas of decorative metalworking and woodworking. A range of modules are available to add extra design and machining functionality.

Two options have been added in the 2015 R2 release of ArtCAM Express to help users to design with vectors. Firstly, snap hints now appear to help in spotting hard-to-find snap points within vectors when creating designs. Secondly, the thickness of vectors can be changed, in either the 2D or 3D view, making it easier to visualise the design.

Accuracy will also be helped by the addition of rulers in the 3D view to make it easier to create precise artwork and to position elements of the piece.

A combine/replace mode was added in ArtCAM Express 2015 for customers creating 3D designs from imported models or the relief clipart included with the software. The ability to overlap and intersect reliefs has been enhanced with a new option to interactively blend the reliefs. This allows relief clipart to be pulled up or pushed down in the Z axis to give a better blend with an overlapping 3D design.

The main machining enhancement in the 2015 R2 release is significantly faster machining simulations thanks to a new algorithm that uses the specialist processor in the computer’s graphics card to calculate thousands of operations simultaneously. This is a significant improvement over standard multi-threading. Another area of improvement is corner machining, where fillets can be added to vectors to allow more accurate machining of slots. In a related development, loops can be added for creating corners with knife cutting.

A further change to ArtCAM Express is the ability to export reliefs for 3D Printing as well as to machine them. Before, this was only possible with other members of the ArtCAM range. As well as the updates to the main ArtCAM Express program, the optional ‘Vector Tools’ module has been enhanced with better layer management. Firstly, multi-coloured vectors can be imported from DXF files as a single vector layer or as separate layers. Similarly, several layers can be exported simultaneously. Secondly, working on complex models with multiple layers can be simplified by merging any layers not being used and placing them in the project tree.

Full details on the new release and the opportunity to download an evaluation version, visit www.artcam.com/express.

Sunday, September 20, 2015

Vectorworks 2016 Released for AEC, Landscape, Entertainment

www.vectorworks.net
COLUMBIA, MD, USA, Sep 20, 2015 - Global design software developer Vectorworks, Inc., formerly Nemetschek Vectorworks, Inc. announces the release of Vectorworks 2016, as well as its rebrand. The release includes more than 100 updates and features for its award-winning CAD and BIM design solutions, including Vectorworks Designer, Architect, Landmark, Spotlight, Fundamentals and Renderworks. From streamlined project sharing, graphical scripting and point cloud support, to subdivision modeling and a system that measures a design’s energy performance, users will be poised to generate, define, build and explore form and function through enhanced workflows and improved design processes.

“Designers know that the successful development of their best ideas requires flexibility and precision while leaving open the opportunity for discovery. That’s why Vectorworks 2016 software empowers creativity throughout the entire process – particularly in a BIM workflow,” said Sean Flaherty, CEO at Vectorworks. “Over our 30-year history, we’ve always looked to our users for feedback to improve our software. As we move forward under our new brand with the release of Vectorworks 2016, we will continue to turn to them, both as a company inspired by great design and as a creator of tools that work how designers think, enabling visionaries to explore, model and solve their next design challenge all in one software package.”

To fully support Vectorworks’ customer-centric philosophy, over 70 percent of the 2016 version’s updates and features were born from customer feedback, with the entire research and development efforts for the new release led by the company’s Chief Technology Officer Dr. Biplab Sarkar.

“Delivering accurate modeling information while remaining true to a designer’s vision is the pivotal point of any artistic enterprise,” said Sarkar. “Vectorworks 2016 software’s first-class tools and customizable workflows give you more resources than ever to design with confidence and precision, no matter your discipline, while supporting the creative process.”

This announcement marks the beginning of Vectorworks 2016’s worldwide rollout, which continues with the release of localized versions in nine additional languages over the next several months. Some of the tools and features in this release include:
  • Project Sharing is an intuitive means for teams to communicate and collaborate while working concurrently on the same Vectorworks design file.
  • Subdivision Modeling allows designers to transform primitive shapes like spheres and cubes into any form imaginable.
  • Marionette is the first and only cross-platform, Python-based graphical scripting tool in the AEC, landscape and entertainment industries. Designers can create visual scripts that take advantage of Vectorworks software’s 2D and 3D modeling capabilities, integrating seamlessly with BIM environments.
  • Energos offers a dynamic, intelligent gauge of a building’s energy performance during the design process and is based on the Passivhaus calculation method.
  • Point Cloud Support allows designers using their preferred 3D scanning device to capture a physical location and import a 3D point cloud object into Vectorworks software to manipulate and measure.’
  • Roof Components and Styles will interact with wall components ensure accuracy in the documentation of sections and elevations. Roof faces and roof objects now have the same component representation as walls and slabs, further extending the power of BIM.
  • Landmark Site Modifier and Hardscape Tool Improvements help landscape professionals and urban planners design more efficiently and be more creative with pavements and walkways, including sloping hardscapes.
  • Spotlight Improvements offer tools to design and document overhead stage rigging, create stages and quickly access symbols to explore any idea imaginable.
  • Several New Features and Improvements in our Renderworks module include an upgraded MAXON Cinema 4D render engine, Caustic Capabilities with refraction of light through translucent surfaces, Ambient Occlusion that adds depth to designs with more realistic shadowing and the New Grass Shader, as well as new camera effects, such as depth of field, exposure, vignette and bloom, allow for more realistic and striking visualizations and animations.
Availability 

The English-language version of Vectorworks 2016 software is available to Vectorworks Service Select customers today by download. Shipping of the English-language version to all other customers will begin on September 23, 2015. To learn more, visit vectorworks.net/2016.

About Vectorworks, Inc.

Vectorworks, Inc. is a global design software developer serving the architecture, landscape and entertainment industries. Since 1985, we have been committed to helping designers capture inspiration, nurture innovation, communicate effectively and bring their visions to life. We’ve developed the best CAD and BIM software for Mac and Windows that puts BIM at the heart of the design process, enabling the flexibility needed for efficient iteration throughout the design life-cycle. Located in Columbia, Maryland, Vectorworks, Inc. is a part of The Nemetschek Group. For more information, visit www.vectorworks.net.

ZWSOFT Releases ZW3D 2015 SP

http://www.zwsoft.com
GUANGZHOU, China, Sep 20, 2015 - ZW3D, one of the world's leading suppliers of advanced CAD/CAM solutions for the manufacturing industry, announced the availability of ZW3D 2015 SP, featuring over 300 improvements for a perfect mid-range CAD/CAM with high performance, extensive applications and fair price.


This newly released edition is to bring SMBs (small and medium-size business) a design-through- manufacturing platform with advancements in usability, stability and function extension.

Usability


ZW3D has added a series of enhancements, like new electrode ribbon tab to provide more user-friendly interface, tweaked picking and highlighting to offer flexible configuration, optimized interference check to display clearer results, and much more, for better user experience.

“I’m really happy every time ZW3D improves and develops, especially in this new version. Slight might the improvements be, they make it work better,” said Paphop, one of the ZW3D community members from Thailand. “Take smart rotation center detection for example. It makes work more enjoyable. ”

Stability


In accordance with feedback from users worldwide, the ZW3D 2015 SP is refined in diversified functionalities, like more robust Boolean operation, enhanced Direct Edit & better roughing link and lead, etc., providing high performance as a mid-level CAD/CAM.

“ZW3D 2015 SP is a further proof of ZW3D's continued efforts to make it easier to use. The addition of weldments, better sketch constraint icons and more advanced assembly management are just few examples of the development program,” commented Paul, an active user from the ZW3D community. “I am now using it full time in an assembly-driven R&D design project that utilizes a range of parametric relationships.”

Function Extension


The extension of key functionalities is another highlight in ZW3D 2015 SP. Take the embedded file translator for example. The data exchange engine of Parasolid is upgraded with import/export of points and wireframes.

Moreover, this version heightens the support for turning cycle output with boosted CNC efficiency and improves the generation of drive curve with increased accuracy and decreased chopping tool path.

“In the following years, most of our R&D resources will be focused on forging a perfect solution for SMEs,” said Colin Lin, Director of ZW3D Overseas Business. “With powerful functions and fair prices.”

About ZW3D CAD/CAM

ZW3D is cost-effective CAD/CAM software for 3D modeling, mold design, and machining, which takes engineers from concept to finished product in one easy-to-use, single collaborative environment. http://www.zwsoft.com/ZW3D/ or visit ZWSOFT Facebook.

Tuesday, September 15, 2015

Delcam Releases FeatureCAM 2016

http://www.delcam.com
BIRMINGHAM, UK, Sep 15, 2015 - Delcam has launched the 2016 release of its FeatureCAM feature-based CAM software. This includes a range of enhancements, in particular more options for the Vortex high-efficiency area-clearance strategy, support for bar-fed mills, more efficient turning and user-interface improvements to make programming even easier and faster.


FeatureCAM was the world’s first feature-based programming software when it was launched in 1995. Constant development since then has ensured that the system has retained its leadership in programming speed and ease of use, while an increased range of strategies has been added to provide more efficient toolpaths that give greater productivity on a wider range of machinery, including mill-turn machines, five-axis mills and wire EDM equipment.

The 2016 release includes a number of enhancements to the Vortex area-clearance strategy. Vortex gives the fastest safe metal removal from solid carbide tooling, in particular designs that give deeper cuts by using the full flute length as the cutting surface. It produces toolpaths with a controlled engagement angle and so maintains the optimum cutting conditions for the complete roughing cycle, giving faster machining and longer tool life.

The ability has now been added to adjust and fine tune the non-cutting moves of 2.5D and 3D Vortex toolpaths, with options to retract the tool and/or to increase the feedrate. These options can be set individually, or can be combined to achieve an optimum toolpath, with a reduced cycle time.

Other roughing improvements include the ability to take into account any remaining stock on the model during holder collision checking, ensuring that Z-level roughing toolpaths are completely free of tool-holder collisions.

Milling of inside or outside groove features has been upgraded with a number of improvements. These include support for different types of roughing links, wind-fan approach and retract moves for finishing, better gouge checking for plunges and retracts, and tool radius and partline cutter compensation support.

Support has been added to FeatureCAM for multi-tasking bar-fed milling machines, such as the Mazak Integrex I150, and the Willemen-Macodel 408T and 508T. Access to the back of the component is possible with an option to set the swivel angle of the machine, with additional cut-off operations now available that use milling tools.

Five-axis swarf machining has been made more flexible with a new option to control the upper and lower Z limits of a simultaneous five-axis swarf toolpath. This is useful if there are limitations on the tool length that can be used or if the stepdown needs to be varied for different segments of the toolpath.

For users of FeatureTURN, the selection of turning tools has been simplified with the ability to use a single tool in multiple orientations. This new automatic tool orientation categorizes tooling into either outside-diameter or inside-diameter turning tools, so shortening the time taken to program parts and reducing the number of different tools required in the tool crib.

In addition, the engage angle can now be set for the lead-in approach move. By controlling the approach move in this way, smoother chip formation and lower cutting forces can be achieved.

FeatureCAM now allows the quick import and alignment of a variety of pre-defined vices and chucks into a machining project. The result is increased productivity, not only due to the speed of programming but also because collision checking is provided automatically during simulation.

Used in combination with PowerSHAPE, FeatureCAM now allows machining files to be selected and nested automatically in a single block to optimize stock material usage.

Interface improvements include the ability to create additional setups quickly during FeatureRECOGNITION, via a new button in the Feature Wizard. This reduces the overall programming time significantly.

In addition, items within the part view are now highlighted when the cursor hovers over them. At the same time, the items are also highlighted in the graphics screen, making it easier to find and select the desired items quickly.

Finally, Autodesk RealDWG has now been integrated into FeatureCAM, bringing with it increases in the speed of import of DWG files and support for DWG solid model import.

Full details on the new release, including video demonstrations of the main enhancements, visit FeatureCAM Learning Zone, www.delcam.tv/fc2016/lz.

Saturday, September 12, 2015

Nemetschek Vectorworks Opens Office in Atlanta

www.vectorworks.net
ATLANTA, GA, USA, Sep 12, 2015 - With an objective of reaching emerging software engineers and a thriving metro population of over five and a half million people, global design software developer Nemetschek Vectorworks, Inc. officially opened the doors of its Atlanta office. The main goal of this office is to employ software engineers who will further develop the Vectorworks product line, serving the AEC, landscape and entertainment design industries.

Located in the heart of Midtown Atlanta on Regions Plaza’s 19th floor, the new office boasts 3,700 square feet and can hold up to 25 people. Additionally, the location is in close proximity to the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech), four MARTA stations and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.

“Several factors contributed to our decision to open the Atlanta office, but location was a prime reason,” said Dr. Biplab Sarkar, chief technology officer of Nemetschek Vectorworks. “We wanted our next location to be easy to travel to and in the same time zone as our headquarters in Maryland. The impressive Georgia Tech feeder system was also a highly attractive factor.”

Georgia Tech is graduating some of the best talent in the engineering industry. Further, Georgia Tech’s College of Engineering has been cited as one of the best values in American higher education by publications such as the Fiske Guide to Colleges, The Princeton Review and Kiplinger Business Magazine because of its high academic quality and relatively low cost. The undergraduate engineering program at Georgia Tech ranked 4th in the 2015 “America’s Best Colleges” edition of U.S. News & World Report.

Additional contributing factors to the opening of the Nemetschek Vectorworks Atlanta office include:
  • The affordability for emerging professionals and families because the cost of living is $0.90 below the national average
  • The 2.4% job growth rate, which is above the national average
  • Startups and major corporations, such as Coca-Cola, Home Depot and UPS, make their corporate home in the Atlanta area, which is positive for the local economy
Software Engineer Jack Gruendler is among the initial employees hired for the Atlanta office. “Writing Vectorworks software is the perfect career combination for my academic background as I have civil engineering and computer science degrees from Georgia Tech,” said Gruendler. “The Midtown location also drew me to the position because I was previously commuting out of the city to the suburbs, where most engineering and software development jobs are currently offered. Now, my commute will be significantly shorter, and I can have an eco-friendly and healthy bicycle commute on the Atlanta BeltLine instead.”

The opening of the Atlanta office is another milestone in Nemetschek Vectorworks’ growth. To learn more about career opportunities with Nemetschek Vectorworks, visit http://www.vectorworks.net/company/careers or follow @VectorworksLife on Twitter.

About Nemetschek Vectorworks, Inc.

Nemetschek Vectorworks, Inc. is the developer of Vectorworks software, a line of industry-specific CAD and BIM solutions that allow designers to easily capture, develop and communicate their ideas with accuracy and efficiency. With more than half a million users around the world, Vectorworks software is a global leader in 3D design technologies for the AEC, landscape and entertainment industries. Nemetschek Vectorworks was founded in 1985 and has been a part of The Nemetschek Group since its acquisition in 2000. For more information, visit www.vectorworks.net.

Thursday, September 3, 2015

COMSOL Announces Keynotes for 2015 COMSOL Conference at Boston

http://www.comsol.com
BURLINGTON, MA, USA, Sep 3, 2015 - COMSOL, the leading provider of multiphysics modeling and simulation software, is pleased to announce the featured customers who have been invited as keynote speakers for the 11th Annual COMSOL Conference, Boston’s leading event for multiphysics simulation and application design. The 2015 Boston keynotes include:
  • Rick Beyerle, senior research scientist in the Innovation and TechnologyGroup at GrafTech International
  • Dritan Celo, photonic integrated circuit (PIC) designer at Huawei Canada Research Centre
  • Stuart Brown, managing partner at Veryst Engineering 

KEYNOTE: A World of Multiphysics Applications in Carbon and Graphite 

At GrafTech, Rick Beyerle is responsible for the characterization and modeling of natural and synthetic graphite foils. He began his career doing simulations in the Microgravity Science Department at NASA Glenn Research Center, where he modeled the effect of orbital thermal loads on space hardware. Beyerle also designed microprocessor test equipment and telecommunications devices. He holds several patents for controlling the temperature of a microprocessor during testing and recently presented the paper “Development of Heat Transfer Tools for Sizing Flexible Graphite Spreaders in Mobile Applications" at the ASME InterPACK Conference.

KEYNOTE: Heat Transfer Model of Ultraconnect Optical Switches on Silicon Photonics Technology

The current research interests of Dritan Celo include silicon PICs, optical components, optical switches, optoelectronic packaging, electro-optic modulators, and 100 Gbps optical links. Celo has published over 40 peer-reviewed journal and conference publications. In 2009, he joined the Communications Research Center in Ottawa where he developed photonic and RF-photonic components on Silica-on-Silicon and SOI technologies. Previously, he received his Ph.D. at Carleton University and worked at the National Research Council (NRC) in Canada, where he developed silicon nitride PIC components for sensing applications.

KEYNOTE: Forensic Engineering: Multiphysics Simulation Unravels Elevator Brake Failure.

Stuart Brown’s background includes mechanical engineering and materials science. He has experience with a wide variety of materials encompassing metals, polymers, composites, and ceramics. Prior to founding engineering consulting firm Veryst Engineering, Brown was director of the Boston Office of Exponent, Inc. Before Exponent, Brown was on the faculty of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

2015 COMSOL Conference

The 2015 COMSOL Conference world tour begins on October 7th in Boston. The event focuses on advancing cross-discipline and multiphysics simulation and application design through a multitude of hands-on sessions, networking opportunities, keynote talks from industry leaders, and over 700 user presentations. The Conference brings together more than 2,000 engineers, researchers, and scientists worldwide throughout nine locations, providing them with the chance to showcase their work, share innovative technologies and best practices, as well as the opportunity to interact with the developers of the COMSOL Multiphysics software.

The 2015 conference will feature presentations on simulation apps using the Application Builder and the COMSOL Server license. Other highlights include:
  • Over 30 application-specific minicourses taught by COMSOL specialists covering a wide array of disciplines
  • Keynote talks from industry leaders and prominent researchers
  • User-contributed paper and poster presentations
  • The introduction of the newest simulation tools and technologies
  • An exhibition showcasing products offered by COMSOL Partners
  • The chance to interact with peers and explore the simulation work of fellow engineers
The Boston COMSOL Conference 2015 will be held October 7-9, 2015 at the Boston Marriott Newton, Newton, MA, USA. For more details and to register to attend, visit: www.comsol.com/conference2015/boston.

To explore the contributions to the 2014 COMSOL Conference,  click here.

About COMSOL

COMSOL provides simulation software for product design and research to technical enterprises, research labs, and universities through 22 offices and a distributor network throughout the world. Its flagship product, COMSOL Multiphysics®, is a software environment for modeling and simulating any physics-based system and for building applications. A particular strength is its ability to account for coupled or multiphysics phenomena. Add-on products expand the simulation platform for electrical, mechanical, fluid flow, and chemical applications. Interfacing tools enable the integration of COMSOL Multiphysics simulation with all major technical computing and CAD tools on the CAE market. For more information, visit www.comsol.com/

Wednesday, September 2, 2015

Delcam to Launch ArtCAM JewelSmith 2015 R2 at IJL

http://www.delcam.com
BIRMINGHAM, UK, Sep 2, 2015 -  Delcam will launch the 2015 R2 version of its ArtCAM JewelSmith CADCAM software for the design and manufacture of all types of jewellery at the International Jewellery London exhibition to be held at Olympia, London, from 6th to 8th September.



The new release, which can be used for the production of rings, broaches, cufflinks and other types of jewellery, includes improvements in both its design and machining options. Full details on the new software and the opportunity to download an evaluation version are on the website – www.artcam.com/jewelsmith

The most significant addition in this release of ArtCAM JewelSmith is the ability to create support structures for 3D Printing. Users can generate intelligent support structures, either manually or automatically, and can also add a tray for the printing of multiple items. 3D Printing offers jewellers an alternative route to machining for the production of highly complex models for lost-wax casting.

For jewellers creating original pieces, two options have been added to help users who design with vectors. Firstly, snap hints now appear to help in spotting hard-to-find snap points within vectors when creating designs. Secondly, the thickness of vectors can be changed, in either the 2D or 3D view, making it easier to visualise the design.

Accuracy will also be helped by the addition of rulers in the 3D view to make it easier to create precise artwork and to position the various elements of the piece.

The ability to overlap and intersect design elements has been enhanced with a new option to interactively blend reliefs. This allows relief clipart to be pulled up or pushed down in the Z axis to give a better blend with another 3D design.

The creation of complex designs by grouping relief layers together has also been made easier. For example, it is easier to combine the front and back of a miniature.

The range of modelling tools in ArtCAM JewelSmith that operate in real time has been extended to include the ability to create smooth domed shapes or domes with a centreline ridge, ideal for borders of engraved text. The weave tool and the two-rail ring sweep are also now updated live. The weave tool is important to jewellers who create Celtic weaves, while the two-rail ring sweep gives the ability to design rings more quickly.

The tools for assembly modelling have been improved making it easier and quicker to drag or rotate elements of the assembly into position. It has also been made simpler to undo any changes.

The main machining enhancement in the 2015 R2 release is significantly faster simulations thanks to a new algorithm that uses the specialist processor in modern graphics cards to calculate multiple operations simultaneously. This gives major speed benefits over standard multi-threading. In addition, two new options are available in the 3D offset strategy. Firstly, it is now possible to spiral from the outside in or from the centre outwards. The strategy can reduce tool wear and give better surface finish. Secondly, on-surface links can be used. This reduces the number of plunge and retract moves and so saves machining time.