Sekilas tentang Inventor

Autodesk Inventor
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Autodesk Inventor is the 3D parametric solid modeling package produced by U.S.-based software company Autodesk. It competes with other CAD systems such as SolidWorks, Pro/ENGINEER, and Solid Edge. Introduced in 1999, many years after all these other systems, it was designed to enable personal computers, to build, model and test, extensive/complex assemblies or models like most other CAD systems.

Functionality

Unlike AutoCAD, Inventor is based on newer, more advanced parametric modeling techniques seen in products like SolidWorks and Pro/ENGINEER. However, Inventor takes these concepts to the next level to make it easier for engineering designers to put together and test functional concepts before defining dimensional details. Inventor accomplishes this using an approach that Autodesk calls "Functional Design."

Inventor users begin by designing of parts. These parts can then be combined into assemblies or design within the context of an assembly. As a parametric modeler, it should not be confused with traditional CAD programs. It is used in design and engineering to produce and perfect new products. Whereas in non-parametric CAD programs the dimensions are geometry-driven, a parametric modeler allows the geometry to be dimension-driven. If the dimensions are altered, the geometry automatically updates based on the new dimension. This allows the designer to store their design intent within the model, whereas non-parametric modeling is more akin to a 'digital drafting board'. Inventor also has tools for sheetmetal part creation, welded part creation, and, starting with Version 10, a rendering and animation environment called Inventor Studio based on the Mental Ray rendering engine.

The crucial building blocks of Inventor are parts. They are made by defining features, which are based on sketches. For example, in order to make a simple cube, a user would first make a square sketch, then use the Extrude tool to make a cube feature out of it. If a user then wanted to add a shaft coming out of the cube, he could add a sketch on the desired face, draw a circle, and then extrude that circle to create a shaft. One can also use work planes to produce sketches that may be offset from the usable planes of the part. The best aspect of this design is that all of the sketches and features can be edited later, without having to redo the entire part. This system of modeling is much more intuitive than in older modeling environments, where if you wanted to change basic dimensions, you would usually have to delete the entire file and start over.

As the final part of the process, parts are then connected to make assemblies. Assemblies can consist of both parts and other assemblies. Parts are joined together by adding constraints between surfaces, edges, planes, point and axes. For example, if one was adding a sprocket onto a shaft, an insert constraint could be added to the shaft and the sprocket saying that the center of the shaft was the same as the center of the sprocket. The distance between the surface of the sprocket and the end of the shaft can also be specified with the insert constraint. Other constraints include flush, mate, insert, angle, and tangent.

This method of modeling allows for the creation of very large, complicated assemblies, especially since sets of parts can be put together before they are joined to the main assembly, and some projects may have many sub assemblies.

Inventor uses specific file formats for parts (.IPT), assemblies (.IAM) and drawing views (.IDW) but the DWG file format can be imported/exported. Autodesk has been pushing Design Web Format (.DWF) as the preferred data interchange and review format. Design Review 2007 was released as free software by Autodesk on February 1st, 2007.

Generally considered a latecomer to the market, Inventor has been developed using a newer technology-base to allow for unique innovations. Inventor is bundled with AutoCAD, AutoCAD Mechanical, and Vault (a workgroup document management system) to provide engineering designers what they need to be productive with legacy data as well as with new 3D-modeling product developement. In the last several years Inventor has grown to include functionality contained in many of the mid-level to high level 3D modelers with additional functionality to bring ideas and concepts to reality more easily and efficiently. Inventor uses Shape Manager as its geometric modeling kernel, which is proprietary to Autodesk and was derived from the ACIS modeling kernel.

Sekilas tentang AutoCAD

AutoCAD
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
AutoCAD is a CAD software application for 2D and 3D design and drafting, developed and sold by Autodesk, Inc. Initially released in late 1982, AutoCAD was one of the first CAD programs to run on personal computers, and notably the IBM PC. Most CAD software at the time ran on graphics terminals connected to mainframe computers or mini-computers.
In earlier releases, AutoCAD used primitive entities — such as lines, polylines, circles, arcs, and text — as the foundation for more complex objects. Since the mid-1990s, AutoCAD has supported custom objects through its C++ API. Modern AutoCAD includes a full set of basic solid modeling and 3D tools, but lacks some of the more advanced capabilities of solid modeling applications.
AutoCAD supports a number of application programming interfaces (APIs) for customization and automation. These include AutoLISP, Visual LISP, VBA, .NET and ObjectARX. ObjectARX is a C++ class library, which was also the base for products extending AutoCAD functionality to specific fields, to create products such as AutoCAD Architecture, AutoCAD Electrical, AutoCAD Civil 3D, or third-party AutoCAD-based applications.
AutoCAD's native file format, DWG, and to a lesser extent, its interchange file format, DXF, have become de facto standards for CAD data interoperability. AutoCAD in recent years has included support for DWF, a format developed and promoted by Autodesk for publishing CAD data. In 2006, Autodesk estimated the number of active DWG files to be in excess of one billion. In the past, Autodesk has estimated the total number of DWG files in existence to be more than three billion.


Version history
• Version 1.0 (Release 1) - December 1982
• Version 1.2 (Release 2) - April 1983
• Version 1.3 (Release 3) - August 1983
• Version 1.4 (Release 4) - October 1983
• Version 2.0 (Release 5) - October 1984
• Version 2.1 (Release 6) - May 1985
• Version 2.5 (Release 7) - June 1986
• Version 2.6 (Release 8) - April 1987
• Release 9 - September 1987
• Release 10 - October 1988
• Release 11 - October 1990
• Release 12 - June 1992 (last release for Apple Macintosh)
• Release 13 - November 1994 (last release for Unix, MS-DOS and Windows 3.11)
• Release 14 - February 1997
• AutoCAD 2000 (R15.0) - March 1999
• AutoCAD 2000i (R15.1)- July 2000
• AutoCAD 2002 (R15.6) - June 2001
• AutoCAD 2004 (R16.0) - March 2003
• AutoCAD 2005 (R16.1) - March 2004
• AutoCAD 2006 (R16.2) - March 2005
• AutoCAD 2007 (R17.0) - March 2006
• AutoCAD 2008 (R17.1) - March 2007
• AutoCAD 2009 (R17.2) - March 2008

Sekilas Tentang SolidWorks

SolidWorks
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

SolidWorks is a 3D computer-aided design (CAD) program that runs on Microsoft Windows platforms, developed by SolidWorks Corporation, a subsidiary of Dassault Systèmes, S. A.. It was introduced in 1993 by newly-founded SolidWorks Corporation to compete with products such as Pro/ENGINEER and SDRC I-DEAS (now Unigraphics NX) among many others, and is now part of the midrange CAD market.


The SolidWorks approach

SolidWorks uses a feature-based "parametric" approach to modelling and assembling. In the SolidWorks 3D modelling environment the creation of a solid or surface typically begins with the definition of topology in either a 2D or 3D sketch. The topology defines the connectivity and certain geometric relationships between vertices and curves both in the sketch and external to the sketch. To this topology are added dimensions which determine the lengths and sizes for the curves and locations for the vertices in conjunction with topological constraints. The dimensions which are added are termed "parameters" because they can be changed either independently or by "parameters" created prior to their creation. The dimensions are limited "parameters" because they cannot be varied by subsequent actions on the sketch in which they are defined. An example of this limitation is to create a simple rectangle in a 2D sketch, place dimensions on the sides of the rectangle and then to extrude the 2D sketch to form a parallel piped shape. The sketch dimensions cannot be varied based on the location of the 2D sketch (generatrix) along the extrusion length. SolidWorks would not allow the height "parameter" of the rectangle to vary with the square of the distance extruded. In other words the dimensions or "parameters" cannot be parametrized to "parameters" created in the subsequent hierarchy of features. Parameters are therefore fixed in the feature that contains them. SolidWorks is therefore hierarchical in the creation of features in that subsequent features should have no effect on prior features. To create volume and modifications, SolidWorks employs a feature-based system that can be rolled back to previous states in case something must be changed or multiple configurations of the same part must be handled. To assemble components, mates are created, which define the relative positions of the components to each other.


Parts

Parts are modelled following a feature-based approach. A sketch must be created first in order to define the primary geometry of the part.


Drawings

Drawings can be created either from parts or assemblies. They are drawn automatically, just by clicking on the window that contains the part or assembly to draw. The drawing module includes most paper sizes and standards (ANSI, ISO, DIN, GOST, JIS, BSI and GB).

Sekilas tentang CATIA

CATIAFrom Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

CATIA (Computer Aided Three dimensional Interactive Application) is a multi-platform PLM/CAD/CAM/CAE commercial software suite developed by Dassault Systemes and marketed world-wide by IBM.
Contents

1 Features and Capabilities
2 Notable Industries using CATIA

Features and Capabilities

Commonly referred to as a 3D Product Lifecycle Management software suite, CATIA supports multiple stages of product development. The stages range from conceptualization, through design (CAD) and manufacturing (CAM), until analysis (CAE). CATIA provides an open development architecture through the use of interfaces, which can be used to customize or develop applications. The application programming interfaces supported are as follows:
The Fortran and C programming languages for version 4 (V4).
The Visual Basic and C++ programming languages for version 5 (V5).

These APIs are referred to as CAA for V4 and CAA2 (or CAA V5) for V5. The CAA2 are component object model (COM) based interfaces. They provide integration for products developed on the CATIA suite of software.

Although later versions of CATIA V4 implemented NURBS, version 4 principally used piecewise polynomial surfaces. CATIA V4 uses a non-manifold solid engine.

Catia V5 features a parametric solid/surface-based package which uses NURBS as the core surface representation.

As of 2006, the latest release is V5 release 17 (V5R17).

CATIA V4 is still supported for various flavours of Unix - IBM AIX, Hewlett Packard HP-UX, and Sun Microsystems Solaris. Catia V4 and its predecessor versions were also available for IBM MVS and VM/CMS mainframe platforms.

CATIA V5 is provided on the Microsoft Windows platform and, without the facility to use Visual Basic additions, on the above-mentioned Unixes.

Notable Industries using CATIA

CATIA is widely used throughout the engineering industry, especially in the automotive and aerospace sectors. In this industry CATIA V4, CATIA V5, Pro/ENGINEER, NX, and SolidWorks are the dominant systems. Dassault Systemes has expanded its reach into the Shipbuilding Domain with CATIA V5 release 8, which includes additional functionality serving ship builder needs.

Outside of those industries, architect Frank Gehry has used the software, through the C3 Smartmodel company, to design his award-winning curvilinear buildings. His technology arm, Gehry Technologies, has been developing software based on CATIA V5 named Digital Project. Digital Project has been used to design buildings, but none have actually been constructed using the new software.

The Boeing Company used CATIA V3 to develop its 777 airliner, and is currently using CATIA V5 for the 787 series aircraft. They have employed the full range of Dassault Systemes' 3D PLM products, comprising of CATIA, DELMIA, and ENOVIA, supplemented by Boeing developed applications.[1]

GD Electric Boat used CATIA to design the latest fast attack submarine class for the United States Navy, the Virginia class. [1]. Northrop Grumman Newport News also used CATIA to design the Gerald R. Ford class of supercarriers for the US Navy [2].

European aerospace giant Airbus is also using CATIA extensively[2] for its design and development activities [3].

Canadian aircraft manufacturing company Bombardier Aerospace has all its designing done on CATIA [4].

German automotive companies BMW, Porsche, Daimler Chrysler[5] and AUDI use CATIA [6]. Other automotive companies using CATIA include , Volvo, Fiat, PSA Peugeot Citroën, Toyota, Honda, and Ford.

Sekilas tentang Pro ENGINEER

Pro/ENGINEER
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


Pro/ENGINEER (commonly referred to as Pro/E or Pro) is a parametric feature-based three-dimensional Solid modeling CAD software created by Parametric Technology Corporation (PTC).

Contents

1 Overview
2 Modules
2.1 Foundation modules


Overview

Pro/ENGINEER is a mechanical engineering and design CAD tool capable of creating complex 3D models, assemblies, and 2D measured drawings; it does not support architectural or civil engineering practices. It originally caused a major change in the CAD industry when first released by introducing the concept of Parametric Modeling. Rather than models being constructed like a mound of clay with pieces being added or removed to make changes, the user constructs the model as a list of features, which are stored by the program and can be used to change the model by modifying, reordering, or removing them.


Pro/ENGINEER outputs consist of solid model data for tooling and rapid prototyping, CNC manufacturing, and finite element analysis. A product and its entire Bill of Materials can be modeled accurately with fully associative engineering drawings, and revision control information. It is compatible with Unix-variants, Windows and Linux operating systems. All data is interchangeable between these platforms without conversion.

PTC have also released a version of the program called Pro/DESKTOP that is marketed towards small businesses and schools who want to incorporate a low-cost CAD package to their curriculum.

Modules

A typical Pro/ENGINEER software package is made up of different modules, customizable to the customer's specific needs. In the past years some of the modules like Pro/SURFACE and Pro/SHEETMETAL have been integrated into the basic Pro/E offerings. For example, if a company specialized in the design of wire harnesses for the automotive industry, they would want to purchase the Pro/CABLING and Pro/HARNESS-MFG modules.