SpaceClaim has introduced the fifth release of its 3D direct modeling engineering software, SpaceClaim 2009+, which supports Windows 7 and its multi-touch technology and enables non-CAD users to do conceptual design easily.
The software is said to let manufacturers speed innovation cycles and easily prepare models for simulation.
“We are solving real, complex, and costly engineering challenges, such as accelerating the development of concept models, or speeding model preparation for up-front and downstream analysis and simulation. On average, our customers report a halving of the time taken to prepare models for CAD, enabling them to be more productive and accelerating overall time to market,” said Chris Randles, SpaceClaim president and CEO, in a statement.
The software lets people use CAD data in new ways, Blake Courter, co-founder of SpaceClaim, said in a recent interview with Managing Automation. “You don’t start modeling in CAD until you know what you’re doing. That’s where we come in,” he said. With the ability to perform simulation tasks earlier in the design cycle, “you’re not making something you hope will work; you’re making something you know will work. You’re removing unexpected problems at the end of process that can cause delays.”
The company aims its software at engineers who do analysis and simulation, rather than CAD specialists. “[Simulation users] have a need for their own modeling tools and control over their own destiny. They don’t want to have to beg CAD team to use tools,” Courter said.
The new release includes direct modeling improvements and simplified model preparation for simulation. Also, the multi-touch feature lets users perform hands-on solid modeling using up to four fingers, making the most common 3D interactions faster than with a mouse, the company said. In addition, multi-touch view rotation and gesture support provide access to commands that are typically hidden behind toggle keys and shortcuts.
The software, which works with any CAD system, is priced below $2,000 per seat, according to Courter.
In September, SpaceClaim entered a technology licensing and distribution agreement with ANSYS, Inc., whose product simulates the behavior of a part or assembly in real-world conditions to determine the best design.