CoCreate’s Free 3D: OneSpace Modeling Personal Edition
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CoCreate’s Free 3D: OneSpace Modeling Personal Edition

CoCreate’s Free 3D: OneSpace Modeling Personal Edition

CoCreate Software, Inc., a leading provider of 3rd generation PLM software applications for high-tech electronics and machinery, today introduced the world’s first free Dynamic Modeling based 3D CAD software, CoCreate OneSpace Modeling Personal Edition (PE).

OneSpace Modeling PE is a freely available download offering all the power of CoCreate’s enterprise OneSpace Modeling 3D CAD system for assemblies up to 60 parts.

This version enables any engineer, designer or student to experience the extraordinary power of a Dynamic Modeling based approach to 3D product development, the cornerstone of the CoCreate OneSpace Suite. And even the most casual user or hobbyist will be immediately productive through a full set of self-paced tutorials, quickstart projects, online help and user forums.

Key benefits available in this release include:

There are two approaches to 3D product development. OneSpace Modeling PE brings Dynamic Modeling to engineers and designers worldwide, giving them choice and liberation from the overhead and complexity of history-based modeling.

“Customers tell us that CoCreate gives them extreme speed, flexibility and responsiveness to change in 3D product development. These traits come from a Dynamic Modeling based approach,” said William M. Gascoigne, CoCreate CEO. “OneSpace Modeling PE ends the industry’s status quo, and lets the 3D CAD users see that there is a fork in the road for 3D product development tools.”

For companies and individuals wanting more, the CoCreate platform is easy to grow into. All 2D drawings and 3D models created within OneSpace Modeling PE can be unlocked and carried over to CoCreate’s full production environment. Subscription licensing (rent versus own) and a 15 minute, 6 button click deployment model for CoCreate’s powerful data management are just a few of the examples of how easy it is to adopt the CoCreate platform. More importantly, CoCreate’s Dynamic Modeling based interoperability strengths means there is no switching cost in moving to the CoCreate platform.

This is a time limited opportunity until March 31st to secure your free copy of OneSpace Modeling PE – so act now! To register and download your personal copy: http://www.cocreate.com/free

Commentary By Jeffrey Rowe, Editor

OK, I’ll admit up front here, I was skeptical about the “free” software thing. My skepticism was quickly dashed, though, after I talked to some CoCreate folks about the offer and its implications.

Although CoCreate isn’t the first or only MCAD vendor to offer free software, this activity is part of a bigger plan whereby the company hopes to more aggressively compete in this cutthroat market. This offer is actually an important part of the company’s commitment to this market. Other aspects that are currently in play include the fact that it is in the process of expanding its sales channel by increasing its number of resellers, and a number of flexible ownership options are available, including an option to rent the software by the week. With all that is going on, the company seems to be backing the effort across the board 100%, and that’s a good thing.

CoCreate’s OneSpace Modeling philosophy works on the same major tenet of lean practices of any type – keep things that are essential and eliminate those that are not. Probably the biggest thing that set OneSpace Modeling apart from the competition is Dynamic Modeling based on a history-free design approach. While not for everybody, this approach can provide some surprising benefits. So, what are some of the pros and cons of history-based versus history-free modeling?

Today, the majority of mechanical CAD products are parametric, history-based applications. CoCreate’s OneSpace Modeling, however, is one of the exceptions. OneSpace Modeling’s history-free architecture can make it easier to make design changes to 3D models without the need to know how a design was originally created. CoCreate calls this “dynamic modeling,” and is a unique method for designing parts and assemblies. Some users may not like the absence of the history at first, especially those who have experience and a comfort level with parametric, history-based systems. However, I think that just as many users will appreciate the shorter learning curve and the likely faster changes that can be made to a design without having to deal with its design history and associated graphical model feature tree.

Parameters can unintentionally apply the brakes where the speed of design changes can be critical. For example, in parametric models, each entity, such as a line or an arc, has parameters associated with it. These parameters control the various geometric properties of the entity, such as the width and height of a rectangle or the radius of a fillet. They also control the locations of these entities within a part model.

Parameters can (usually) be changed to create a desired part for design optimization or maintaining original design intent (although that’s another potential point of debate). History-based parametric modelers create and maintain a record of how a part model is built. When parameters in a model are changed and it is regenerated, the CAD application repeats the operations from its history, using the new parameters, to create a new part model. An advantage for this type of modeling is that you can perform “what if” scenarios and test various sizes of parts to determine which is the “best” part for a given purpose by simply adjusting a part model’s parameters and regenerating the part.

So, while parametric history-based modeling can be a powerful design method, it can also complicate things and make models created using this method difficult or impossible to work with, especially late in the design process, based on inherent dependencies. This is exactly what OneSpace Modeling plays off of for collaborative design teams who need to perform design changes without having to concern themselves with constraints, parametrics, and history-based feature trees.

As I said earlier, beyond OneSpace Modeling, today, the majority of mechanical CAD products are parametric, history-based applications. There are, however, some notable exceptions – IronCAD and KeyCreator. CoCreate’s OneSpace Modeling is a 3D CAD tool based on a dynamic history-free architecture that can make it easier to make design changes to 3D models with no need to know how a design was originally created. CoCreate calls this “intuitive modeling,” and is a unique method for designing parts and assemblies, but may put off some users at first, especially those who have experience and a comfort level with parametric, history-based systems. That said, though, parameters aren’t always what they’re cracked up to be.

Some parametric modelers also allow constraint equations to be added to models. These can be used to construct relationships between parameters. If several parameters always require the same value, or a certain parameter depends on the values of several others, this is the best way to ensure that these relationships are always correct. This ability, however, can also lead to problems, especially if changes are made to parts that are heavily parameter-dependent.

CoCreate is doing a lot of things to increase its presence in the MCAD market, and the company seems to be going about it in a methodical and calculated way. Will they appeal to everybody? Well, no, but the way they are going about it says that they are in for the long haul.

I’m looking forward to downloading CoCreate’s OneSpace Modeling PE myself and checking out what it can do. I’ll report back what I discover.

The Week’s Top 5

At MCADCafé we track many things, including the stories that have attracted the most interest from our subscribers. Below are the five news items that were the most viewed during last week.

Chrysler Group Signs Letter of Intent With Chery
Last week Chrysler Group President and CEO Tom LaSorda confirmed that his company had reached an agreement in principle with Chery Sales Co. to distribute Chery-made small vehicles in the NAFTA region, European region, and possibly other global markets. The agreement is subject to the approval of the DaimlerChrysler Supervisory Board and Chinese authorities. Chrysler Group officials say the new vehicles, which will be sold under Chrysler Group brands. The introduction of these new small vehicles represents an important addition to the Chrysler Group's product portfolio. LaSorda said that although historically Chrysler Group has been the most reliant upon trucks, minivans, and sport-utility vehicles, the company is now moving quickly toward smaller vehicles. Since 2004, Tritec 1.6-liter engines have been exported for use in the Chery A15 and Chery Fengyun. Chrysler Group designers will work with Chery on the new small vehicles, which are based on yet-to-be-announced Chery platforms, to create Chrysler Group styling cues. Chery is becoming a world-class automaker, noted LaSorda, and meeting its goal to be the No. 1 Chinese automaker by 2010. Founded in 1997, Chery is China's largest exporter of domestically made vehicles.

New Book on Simulation-Based Lean Six-Sigma And Design For Six-Sigma
Research and Markets has announced the addition of a new book on Simulation-based Lean Six-Sigma and Design for Six-Sigma. The book concentrates on Six Sigma in simulation environments. For example, axiomatic design, design for X, theory of inventive problem solving (TRIZ), transfer function and scorecards are powerful methods for creating superior service improvements or designs; that is, to do the right things within a comprehensive quality perspective. This book also brings another class of powerful methods in transaction-based simulation arena such as DOE and Lean Manufacturing into its toolbox. The book addresses Simulation-based Six Sigma and Design for Six Sigma and present approaches to applications via several case studies. The book also provides a solid base for the theoretical and practical aspects of Discrete Event Simulation (DES).

LMS International To Acquire IMAGINE
LMS International is in the process of acquiring IMAGINE, a France-based provider of 1-D multiphyics simulation solutions for mechanical and mechatronic systems. Through the acquisition, LMS will extend its portfolio for functional performance simulation and physical testing, delivering a complete set of applications to model, simulate, and test the real-life behavior of mechanical and mechatronic systems. Since its inception in 1986, IMAGINE has provided technology for the mechatronic and control systems simulation markets. Mechatronic system engineering involves electrical and electronic systems for automotive, aerospace, and other mechanical applications. IMAGINE is one of the first companies in this domain to integrate multiple technologies and mathematic routines which not only save time and effort but can also deliver higher quality simulation results.

Ford and Airstream Deliver A Crossover Model Of The Future
In the growing crossover segment, Ford has joined with Airstream to showcase how it could further expand its lineup of expressive crossovers with the Ford Airstream Concept. The concept is powered by a plug-in hydrogen hybrid fuel cell drivetrain -- called HySeries Drive -- that operates under electric power at all times. This advanced fuel cell system is half the weight and cost of today's fuel cells and can operate in the winter. That's a major step forward because today's fuel cells don't do well below freezing. Much like Ford, Airstream began with one man's dream. In 1931, Wally Byam began leveraging aircraft-construction methods to make trailers aimed at feeding Americans' surging desire to travel. Both companies are influenced by economic and demographic trends -- chiefly baby boomers approaching retirement age. The crossover segment is expected to hit 3 million units by the end of the decade, making it potentially the largest U.S. vehicle segment.

Ford Uses BUNKSPEED Solutions For Concept Car Images
BUNKSPEED, a provider of high-end visualization software and services, announced that Ford Motor Co. used BUNKSPEED’s software to create advanced media images for the Ford Interceptor concept vehicle. In a special collaboration between BUNKSPEED, Ford, and international photographer David Burgess, the team created a collection of digital images of Ford’s car, so media could start reporting on the concept even before it was fully built. Ford already uses BUNKSPEED’s visualization software to render data and see how vehicle designs look – and virtually “drive” in naturally illuminated 2D environments while under development in its global design studios. While other software packages allow automakers to use digital data to create vehicle images, most still require teams of people. With BUNKSPEED’s software, the “production team” was reduced to a crew of one – Burgess. The photographer and his assistant shot backgrounds for the car outside of Las Vegas. Using a spherical camera, they captured a 360-degree environment, including full lighting data. Burgess used his digital camera to shoot back plates of the main area he envisioned for the backdrop of the car. Then, Burgess – who had previously never used BUNKSPEED rendering software – merged the concept car’s data file into freshly captured environmental image files in just a few hours.

Jeffrey Rowe is the editor of MCADCafé and MCAD Weekly Review. He can be reached at Email Contact or 408.850.9230.

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