Altia

Altia Design 4.5 graphics simulation software allows engineers to use high-resolution bitmaps as the basis for their virtual prototypes, providing interactive, animated graphics without programming. It retains the photorealistic appearance of the images even after engineers scale and animate them. In the past, the average computer lacked the power for a bitmap-smoothing algorithm, so that when an image size increased, its pixels enlarged, giving it a jagged appearance. Altia Design 4.5 solves this problem with a new algorithm that quickly estimates and creates additional pixels for scaled, high-resolution bitmaps, ensuring a clear image, even without a powerful computer. The software also provides significantly faster importing and refreshing of 24-bit images and the ability to support images that use millions of colors. Additionally, a new configurable tick mark component enables users to adjust the size, shape, frequency, and spacing of tick marks on various dials and gauges.

ESI Group

PAM-FORM 2000 is a 3D program for simulating the forming of composite and plastic parts. It enables virtual and realistic analysis and optimization of a variety of manufacturing processes, including thermoforming, diaphragm-forming, blowing, extrusion-blowing, and stretching-blowing. Part production is simulated using physical modeling based on CAD data, taking numerous critical parameters into account such as the materials used, friction, holding systems, press speed, and pressure cycles. PAM-FORM analysis results can be combined with other software packages, including ESI Group's design (SYSPLY), crash (PAM-CRASH), and drop-test (PAM-SHOCK) tools. In the appliance industry, Whirlpool has used PAM-FORM to simulate and optimize the pre-heating of plastic sheets for forming refrigerator inner liners.

Z Corp.

The Z402C 3D color printer rapid prototyping device allows users to create parts in multiple colors, allowing models to convey more information to design engineers. The multicolor technology can also be used to represent in physical form finite element analysis and thermal analysis. Software for the 3D printer can create parts from VRML files, a widely available data format containing color information. VRML files from a range of CAD programs can be used to print parts with a palette of eight colors. Future software developments will expand the palette to as many as 6 million colors. Z402 Systems produce 3D models layer-by-layer from powder that is bound together by liquid binder. Build speed is between 1-in. and 2-in. per hour, depending on density.

ANSYS

A drop test simulation module provides users with a graphical user interface (GUI) that, when using ANSYS/LS-DYNA, greatly simplifies the process of simulating the effects of high impact and shock during the virtual product design. The GUI features a detailed, application-specific menu system that enables step-by-step management of the drop test simulations. ANSYS/LS-DYNA integrates ex-plicit dynamic technology with the ANSYS interface, enabling fast, effective solution of engineering problems involving large deformation, nonlinear material behavior, and multibody contact typically characterized by transient impact. These capabilities make it ideal for simulations involving metal forming, crash dynamics, drop tests, rapid manufacturing processes, and other short duration events.

SDRC

I-DEAS 8 offers collaboration solutions that allow customers to leverage the Internet across the entire product lifecycle. The Web Access feature enables secured access to I-DEAS product structure data and geometry through a standard Web browser, permitting sharing of engineering data outside traditional engineering functions. The 3dDocCom feature provides the ability to document and communicate all manufacturing information in 3D and it contains a 3D annotation functionality for parts and assemblies. By combining the production power of I-DEAS Master Series with the productivity characteristics of I-DEAS Artisan Series, the software package presents a fully scalable solution based on a single architecture, ensuring that high-end and mid-range users alike can share full product information.

Axiomatic Design

Acclaro Version 1.0 ensures that customer needs are matched one-to-one with defined software modules. It identifies the best design decisions and helps developers to avoid coupling, unintentional interactions, between functions in a system. It also tracks design information to indicate the best sequence for project development and the easiest way to incorporate late stage requirement changes. The development process is quicker because the software tells developers in what order to write code so that they never have to modify already completed modules.

IBM/Dassault

CATIA Version 5 Release 4 for Windows and Unix enables small, medium, and large companies to integrate product lifecycle management in their strategic business processes. It offers a wide range of integrated e-business solutions, including 12 new products and 39 enhanced ones across CATIA platforms P1 and P2. Using the CATIA open architecture, V5R4 delivers unique modeling functions to shorten development time significantly. These include direct, flexible model manipulation in space, and full associativity between model geometries, which provide intuitive and productive assembly design modification.

Stratasys

Prodigy is an office modeling system that combines the ease, speed, and simplicity of 3D printing with the major benefit of producing durable ABS parts. Using the Fused Deposition Modeling process, Prodigy models can be created up to 8-in. x 8-in. x 12-in. The system is driven by Catalyst, a new front-end processing software. Running on Windows NT, Catalyst quickly prepares the file for building. Users may select fine, standard, or draft layer thicknesses, based on their need for feature detail and surface smoothness. Material is loaded simply through cartridges. The modeling unit is quiet, safe, and compact. All materials are nontoxic and no special venting is required.

Cocreate

OneSpace 5.0 is a design-chain integration solution that provides global teams a virtual conference room to interact in real time on mechanical designs. The new release offers four key enhancements. Improved information sharing capabilities provide a 3D orientation with markups that can now be captured and retrieved by extended team members. Enhance file access, which allow importing of 300 new file formats, ensure that all critical information can be part of the real-time collaboration, regardless of original format.

DTM Corp.

LaserForm ST-100 is a 420 stainless steel alloy for use in the DTM Sinterstation. The new material allows companies to further speed the production of fully dense metal prototypes and end-use parts, and it can also be used to create complex tooling inserts for injection molding. The material produces parts with investment casting tolerances and tooling with excellent "as-processed" surface finish. Users of the new material cut costs by being able to go directly from CAD to metal parts in two steps, skipping the expensive step of creating tools for only a moderate number of parts. In addition to prototyping, the SLS material and process can be used for

specialized low-volume manufacturing applications.

Fluent

FIDAP 8.5 brings together comprehensive flow modeling capabilities with the ability to model fluid structure interaction. Fluids and structures interact, introducing new engineering challenges, such as stress, deflection, and vibration. The new release takes these factors into consideration in order to create CFD models that accurately reflect reality. New problems that can now be solved include modeling of biomedical flows, thin film coating processes, and polymer processes. Thermal stresses in equipment and devices due to temperature changes and material properties can also be modeled with FIDAP 8.5. Additionally, the software can model electrohydrodynamics, fluid flow behavior under the influence of electric fields.

Alias/Wavefront

The Studio/Tools family now possesses advanced scan data processing capabilities by way of an upgraded release of EvalViewer for Unix, and in a new product, Spider, for Windows NT and Windows 2000 platforms. With EvalViewer or Spider combined with Studio, AutoStudio, or SurfaceStudio, a designer has a complete solution to incorporate physical models into a digital design workflow. Scanned data, in a wide variety of file formats, can be processed with advanced tools for hole filling, meshing, and section cutting. Polygon meshes and cross-sections produced in EvalViewer or Spider, along with the original scanned data, can be transferred to Studio, AutoStudio, or SurfaceStudio for advanced NURBS surface fitting and complete NURBS modeling.

3D Systems

Cibatool SL 7540 is a new SLA material that creates parts similar to end-use plastics. Parts built with SL 7540 offer mechanical properties similar to popular thermoplastics, such as polypropylene, polystyrene, or polyethylene. As a result, the parts provide the durability and flexibility required to withstand the rigors of functional testing, and, in most cases, eliminating interim steps such as bridge tooling. The material is also ideal for snap-fit testing of parts or creating multi-component assemblies. The parts built with this material can be drilled, threaded, machined and polished.

Think3

Thinkdesign 5.0 bridges the world of conceptual design, engineering, and manufacturing, giving users the flexibility to use either a more traditional technical approach, or a more creative design methodology. The goal is to provide powerful, easy-to-learn, "mass 3D" design software that gives all members of the design team access to all the tools they need to design and model entire products within a single environment. The new release includes advanced surface modeling functionality and engineering-oriented features for parametric solid modeling, drafting and layout, integrated project management, and photorealistic rendering.