3D CAD SYSTEMS WORKING TOGETHER

3D CAD SYSTEMS WORKING TOGETHER

This is a presentation of our two products working together. Both can have the parts and assemblies in the same file, working in what's called in the industry "Top Down" or "In-Context" design and quickly becomes your normal design process.

This format is now promoted with Solidworks Conceptual Design program as the "Single Model Environment". The "Single Modeling Environment" is the most productive single 3D CAD function allowing increases of productivity of 10x. I am sure Dassault is wondering how to implement this functionality without disturbing its base before they realize the incredible increase in productivity and move to another 3D CAD system.

Here are a few other projects where we have used multiple 3D CAD systems. The one shown is Study 10. I moved the 3D model done in IronCAD to ZW3D for the Core/Cav split.

Ref: Using Multiple 3D CAD Systems

On this reverse engineering project I used ZW3D's robust reverse engineering functionality to get the scans of the AK-46 into a solid model. I then took it into IronCAD to complete the job.

Ref: Reverse Engineering 2015 - AK-47 Project

Update August 26,2019

The below link takes you to the Solidworks "3DEXPERIENCE" Platform. If anyone can explain what Dassualt is trying to sell please tell me. This link was suppose to take you to Solidworks Product Designer. But their website changes very often. The latest is them eliminating "Solidworks World" annual convention and renaming it to "3DEXPERIENCE WORLDK". I have to admit they seem to be out of touch with their Cash Cow, Solidworks users.

Here is what Dassault says about the advantages of it in their advertising:

Ref: Single Modeling Environment

"Think, create, and design the way you want – top down, bottom up, layout sketch, master model – without needing to pre-plan product structure."

But I did find a data sheet of Product Designer where it does tout the single model environment but not much more. IronCAD offer much, much more performance and productivity including the single model environment for a lot less! The Product Designer is $2988.00 per year! IronCAD perpetual is $3790.00 and you can rent it for $1500.00 per year and you work with a seasoned mechanical designer.

Ref: Solidworks Product Designer Datasheet

ZW3D also includes the drawing in the same file. Imagine have the drawing available in same file? Your complete project in one easy to maintain file!!

Both have integrated Direct Edit functionality. Many of you have direct edit functionality available, but how many are using it in your design process?

This was a fun exercise and I thought it may interest a few of you.

I love to design in IronCAD but the price is a bit steep for many single designers, engineers, inventors and small companies. But Inovate, the modeling only product that offers IronCAD's incredible "Innovative Part Design" process, brings this unique highly productive 3D CAD design paradigm down to an affordable price. It offers realistic rendering, animation, kinematics, unique drag and drop design and much more, but it has no documentation functionality.

Ref: Five Functions that Increase CAD Productivity!!

ZW3D Lite offers a fully professional 3D CAD system at a very affordable price and both of the programs work very well together. Not only does ZW3D Lite offer easy to use documentation but also includes translators to read the native files from Creo, NX, Solid Edge, Solidworks and Inventor. Reads/writes Catia 4/5 and all of the popular neutral formats so you can easily do the same as shown with any program.

Ref: Learn 3D Design in 3 hours

It is a bit of a best of both worlds thing. Download them both and play.

For more information or to download IronCAD or ZW3D

Ref: The Incredible 3D CAD Combo

Enjoy!!

Ref: LEARNING MECHANICAL 3D CAD - This link gives the full description of creating this assembly in ZW3D.

Here is the assembly done from the drawing above using in ZW3D Standard

Here is the assembly exported to Inovate using Parasolids. Notice that the names of the parts and assemblies are part of the import. This is the advantage of the parasolid translator.

Ref: Lost In Translation! A Guide to 3D CAD Translation Formats.

Here is one the flanges copied and revised in Inovate by moving the face.

Here is a Cable Assembly designed in INOVATE.

Here is the Cable Assembly exported to ZW3D with Parasolids. The names of the parts and assemblies are intact.

Here is the cable assembly drawing created in ZW3D. Now remember this was created in Inovate. ZW3D is unique that the drawing is integrated into the part or assembly and not an external file.

Here is the shell detailed separately showing how easily you can detail parts created in INOVATE with ZW3D. The parts could have been created in any of the popular 3D CAD systems.

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We sell and support IronCAD and ZW3D Products and
provide engineering services throughout the USA and Canada!

Why TECH-NET Sells IronCAD and ZW3D

If you are interested in adding professional hybrid modeling capabilities or looking for a new solution to increase your productivity, take some time to download a fully functional 30 day evaluation and play with these packages. Feel free to give me a call if you have any questions or would like an on-line presentation.

For more information or to download IronCAD or ZW3D

Joe Brouwer
206-842-0360