Develop 3D - April 2009

TECHNOLOGY FOR THE PRODUCT LIFECYCLE
Cloud Computing P14 NEi Fusion P40 PTC ProductPoint P44

HP Z SERIES WORKSTATIONS ADVANCED MODEL MAKING DOCKSIDE ENGINEERING
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p02_D3D_APRIL09_3Dx.indd 1 14/4/09 18:29:48
DEVELOP3D.COM APRIL 2009 3

WELCOME

EDITORIAL
Editor
Al Dean
al@x3dmedia.com
+44 (0)7525 701 541
Managing Editor
Greg Corke
greg@x3dmedia.com
+44 (0)20 3355 7312
Consulting Editor
Martyn Day
martyn@x3dmedia.com
+44 (0)7525 701 542
Editorial Assistant
Stephen Holmes
stephen@x3dmedia.com
+44 (0)20 3355 7311
DESIGN/PRODUCTION
Art Director
Rob Biddulph
Production
Greg Corke
greg@x3dmedia.com
+44 (0)20 3355 7312
ADVERTISING
Advertising Manager
Tony Baksh
tony@x3dmedia.com
+44 (0)20 3355 7313
Deputy Advertising Manager
Steve King
steve@x3dmedia.com
+44 (0)20 3355 7314
SUBSCRIPTIONS
Circulation Manager
Alan Cleveland
alan@x3dmedia.com
+44 (0)20 3355 7311
DEVELOP3D is published monthly and is
available FREE to qualifying individuals.
To ensure you receive your regular copy
please register online at
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ABOUT
DEVELOP3D is published by
X3DMedia Ltd
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DEVELOP3D is printed by
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I
am sat writing this at the airport on my way to Portland, Oregon,
somewhere Ive never been before. I like airports, Ill admit it. Theres
something intriguing about sitting in a place built and operated solely for
the purpose of movement. Everyone here is in a state of transition, coming
and going, and the ebb and ow of the human form is strangely comforting.
The wonderful thing about this career Ive chosen is that I get to
spend a lot of the year travelling to new places, seeing new sights, and
investigating new technology and processes but, mostly importantly, I get
to meet people. As a species, we thrive on human interaction and contact
but, sometimes, solitude gives you a fresh perspective.
When you put this into the context of product development, it rapidly becomes
clear that everything is a team eort, a collective project with collective
responsibility. This applies not only to those doing the actual development and
manufacturing, but also the customer or end user, and research into what challenges
face a target market is essential. This mix of customer requirements and the
potential for designers to use their skill to solve problems in new and engaging ways,
is something that always provides for an interesting mix.
A good example of this is the work done by Napier Turbochargers, our cover feature
this month. Heres an organisation thats going through serious change following
a management buy out and took that opportunity to re-examine what it was doing
and the tools it had at its disposal. While Napier decided to stick with the core design
technology it has so much knowledge invested in, the team ultimately shifted its
process by seeking a more integrated approach and adopting a fully integrated CAM
system moving forward.
What I found most interesting was that the teams from both Design and
Manufacturing sat around the same table, and talked collectively about how they
could shift the way they do things to achieve a common goal - that of product
excellence that matches its customers requirements exactly, in a timely fashion. We
plan to revisit Napier next year to nd out how things have gone.
Elsewhere in the magazine this month Stephen Holmes visits ATOM, a fabulously
multi-skilled model making team thats involved in a breathtakingly diverse range
of product. Theres a showcase of whats hot in dockside engineering and how LAG
guitars is using Veros VISI Series products to not only manufacture but design
guitars for the likes of Motorhead. Also, our new columnist, John Tumelty talks
about how material properties change depending on the manufacturing process and
how that information needs to fed into the design process.
DEVELOP3D wouldnt be complete without a batch of reviews. We kick things o
with NEi Fusion, a standalone simulation system that provides an impressive pre- and
post-processor front end to Nastran. Theres a look at PTCs SharePoint-based data
management system ProductPoint, and Greg Corke assesses Intels 16 core Xeon 5500
Series platform and gives his rst impression of the slick Z Series workstation from
HP. Finally, there should be a preview of what Autodesk is showing o in Portland in
the next few days. To get this in the mag we will be cutting things really close to the
wire to meet our print slot. Youll know if we managed to pull it o because there will
be three pages of content on the latest on Inventor, AliasStudio et al. Otherwise on
pages 30, 31, and 33 youll be staring at three blank pages for notes.
Right, the plane is boarding. Adios amigos.
Cheers,
Al Dean
Editor, DEVELOP3D Magazine
p03_D3D_APRIL09_Editor.indd 3 14/4/09 17:58:36
Untitled-2 1 14/4/09 18:34:11

COntEnts

nEWs
Intel Nehalem drives new workstations launches, HP
targets online collaboration, Microsoft moves to Wildfre
4.0, while the Inventor partner bandwagon starts a-rollin
COMMEnt
Al Dean rallies the troops to fght the recession, Rob
Jamieson examines the problems with multiple software,
John Tumelty asks you to think about material choice during
design, while Josh Mings simply has his head in the cloud
FEAtUREs
Product design showcase - dockside engineering
COVER stORY napier turbochargers
Autodesk Inventor and the future
Guitar hero - design and manufacture
The mighty Atom - advanced model making
HP Z Series workstation
REVIEWs
NEi Fusion
PTC Windchill ProductPoint
Intel Xeon 5500 Series processor
tHE LAst WORD
Martyn Day on the role that 3D games technology is
playing in bringing CAD to cloud computing
APRIL 2009 ISSUE No.9
6
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35
36
38
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44
47
49
TECHNDLDCY FDR THE PRDDUCT LJFECYCLE
Cloud Computing P14 Nei Nastran P38 PTC ProductPoint P42
HPZSERIESWORKSTATIONSADVANCEDMODEL MAKINGDOCKSIDEENGINEERING
TURBO
BOOST
RETHINKING DESIGN
AND MANUFACTURE AT
NAPIER TURBOCHARGERS
^I. .
Workstations go core crazy
IN
TEL XEO
N
5500
Autodesks integrated
vision of the future
IN
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DEVELOP3D is published monthly and is
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p05_D3D_APRIL09_contents.indd 5 14/4/09 17:59:24
6 APRIL 2009 DEVELOP3D.COM
NEWS

PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT NEWS
T
he hotly anticipated launch
of Intels Xeon 5500 Series
processor at the tail end of
March brought with it a range of
new powerful new workstations
from all the major workstation
manufacturers. Dell, Fujitsu Siemens,
HP, and Lenovo all announced new
workstations based on the new
processor, codenamed Nehalem.
The new chip, which features four physical
CPU cores as standard, promises new levels
of performance in multithreaded simulation
and rendering applications. Almost identical
in architecture to Intels Core i7, with
TurboBoost, HyperThreading and Intel Quick
Path technologies, the Xeon 5500 Series
platform primarily differentiates itself by
being able to support two processors in a
single workstation.
HP made the biggest splash with its
new Z Series workstation, which has been
redesigned from the ground up to be easy to
maintain and upgrade. It does this through a
modular, entirely tool-less chassis devoid of
any cables, which it developed in tandem with
Industrial Design frm, BMW DesignWorks.
The Z Series is available in three models, a
single socket Z400, mid-range dual processor
capable Z600 and high-end dual processor
Z800. Solid state drives will be introduced
to the range later this year, with a view to
reducing power and noise and increasing
performance. Turn to page 36 for more on
the Z Series.
Dell has also introduced three new
workstations, the Precision T3500, T5500 and
T7500. The mid-range T5500 is particularly
interesting, specifcally because Dell has
managed to pack so much technology into
such a small chassis. To accommodate the
second processor and memory, it features
a riser card, which sits at 90 degrees to the
motherboard.
While the new systems will ship with
Windows Vista by default, Dell, like the other
workstation vendors, will continue to offer
Windows XP downgrades (with XP recovery
disks). However, through its custom factory
integration program it can also supply
workstations with XP pre-installed, and it is
also possible for customers to supply Dell
with disk images for Operating System,
network and applications.
Lenovos new ThinkStation S20 and
D20 feature single socket and dual socket
versions of Intel's new Xeon chip. In addition
to offering both ATI and Nvidia graphics,
the big news is that Lenovo is pushing
Nvidia's Tesla GPU platform to supplement
the computational power of Intel's new
chips. Nvidia's Tesla cards feature virtually
the same technology as a graphic card,
but are designed specifcally to carry out
compute tasks usually done on the CPU. Like
all new technologies though, mainstream
applications are still few and far between,
with developments most likely
to be in the areas of simulation
and rendering. Lenovo
is boasting some
impressive green
credentials for its new
workstations, claiming
they both use 50%
recycled content.
Finally, Fujitsu Siemens
has introduced the
Celsius M470, R570 and
R670, which are all based
on Intel's new Xeon chip.
(Top) Dell's new
Precision T5500
is an extremely
compact dual
socket workstation
workstation
(Bottom) Lenovo's
new Thinktation S20
and D20
Dell, HP, Lenovo and Fujitsu Siemens are among the many workstation vendors to
launch brand new workstations based on Intel's new professional-level quad core chip
UNVEILING OF INTEL XEON 5500 PAVES
WAY FOR GLOBAL WORKSTATION LAUNCHES
p06_08_09_10_D3D_APRIL09_News.indd 6 16/4/09 13:04:18
p07.indd 1 14/04/2009 19:06:25
Vero to preview
VISI17 at PDM 09
V
ero, a specialist provider of
CAD/CAM/CAE solutions for
the tooling industry, will
present the rst viewing
of its agship product
VISI17 during PDM (Plastic Design &
Mouldings) 2009 in Telford in May.
Scheduled for release in June, version
17 features enhancements to all areas of
the product with further emphasis on the
integration of plastic fow simulation into a
real CAD environment
In addition to key enhancements to VISI
Flow and VISI Mould, Vero has announced
speed improvements after collaboration with
graphics card companies, ATI and Nvidia.
www.vero-software.com
H
P is developing a new online
collaboration technology
called SkyRoom, which it
previewed at its recent
Z Series workstation launch.
SkyRoom is based on the company's
proprietary image compression
sofware, Remote Graphics Software
(RGS) and also uses aspects of its
high-end immersive video conferencing
technology called Halo.
While HP's proprietary image compression
software has been around for some time,
the company has had a bit of a problem
communicating that to customers. The name,
Remote Graphics Software (RGS), never
exactly rolled off the tongue. The technology,
which also forms the backbone of its Blade
Workstation, captures frames in a 3D CAD
system and streams them over TCP/IP. It is
designed to do this with no discernable lag so
the recipient can share desktops with other
users and manipulate in 3D models that
reside on another computer. For SkyRoom,
the addition of video and a collaboration
toolset completes what HP describes as a
professional-quality visual collaboration and
conferencing solution
At the event HP's Jim Zafarana
demonstrated the technology with Jeff
Wood using SolidWorks eDrawings. Zafarana
simply highlighted the portion of his desktop
that he wanted to share and this 'lens' could
then be seen by up to four people at any
one time, with each being able to interact
directly with the data.
HP chose not to talk about bandwidth
requirements as the product is still in beta,
but we would expect it to be high to give the
high quality experience that HP is seeking.
HP unveils its high-quality collaboration and conferencing
technology, but keeps tight lipped on bandwidth requirements
Jim Zafarana, HP's
Vice President and
General Manager,
Global Business
Unit, Workstations,
demonstrates HP's
new SkyRoom
collaborative
technology running
SolidWorks'
eDrawings with
a live connection
to Jeff Wood,
Director, worldwide
workstation
marketing
HP PREVIEWS COLLABORATION
TOOL: PROJECT SKYROOM
DEVELOP3D
competition
winners!
T
he three winners of our winter
hardware competition were
drawn out of a rather large hat
last month by DEVELOP3D's
illustrious editor, Al Dean.
First Prize: Ann Keane, senior design
engineer of SEOS is the lucky recipient of
a Lenovo S10 workstation and ThinkVision
L2440P 24-inch LCD display.
Second and third prizes go to: Ed
Doughty, senior mechanical engineer at
Ultra Electronics - Command & Control
System, and Christian McGuire, mechanical
design manager of Astra Games. Ed and
Christian each scoop a PNY Nvidia Quadro
FX370 graphics card and a Devolo DLAN 200
AVEASY networking starter kit.
We would like to thank our very generous
sponsors of the competition, Lenovo, PNY
and Devolo. We are already planning our
next competition!
Geomagic is previewing a new reverse
engineering technology on its labs
website (labs.geomagic.com) designed
to generate quasi-parametric models
so they can be edited in a CAD system.
The new technology uses a series
of connections to establish a link be-
tween the host application (Geomagic
Studio) and either SolidWorks,
Inventor or Pro/Engineer. The user
performs the standard scanning,
registration and clean up processes,
but can then use the built in tools
from the Geomagic Fashion module to
break down the model into precisely
ON DEVELOP3D.COM - CLOSING THE LOOP ON REVERSE ENGINEERING
defned surfaces and solids. This
quasi-parametric model contains a
great deal of intelligence (in terms of
enabling design modifcation).
While the system has, for some
time, enabled users to create clean
surface/solid data using the underly-
ing point cloud, this new technology
extends that by passing the same
data to a CAD system so users can
edit their models using familiar
operations and features.
Check out the video showing inter-
action with Pro/E on DEVELOP3D.com
and look out for a full review soon

NEWS

To coincide with the launch
of its new Xeon 5500-based
Precision T3500, T5500,
and T7500 workstations,
Dell has developed a
Flash-driven workstation
advisor website. The site is
designed to make it easier
for customers to choose
workstations according to
which applications they use
www.dell.com/wsadvisor
Derby-based workstation
manufacturer, CAD2
has re-branded itself as
Workstation Specialists.
The move refects the
growing presence of the
company in industry
sectors beyond that of CAD/
CAM/CAE. Turn to page 47
for our frst impressions of
its new Xeon workstation
workstationspecialist.com
VX Corporation and
TraceParts have formed
an agreement whereby a
free exclusive online parts
library will be available
directly within the
VX CAD/CAM 2009 user
interface. The library will
feature native 3D models
a number of leading parts
suppliers catalogues
www.tracepartsonline.net
Aston Martin, the legendary
British manufacturer of
luxury sports cars popular
with James Bond and
overpaid footballers, will
use STAR-CCM+,
CD-adapcos technology
CFD simulation tool, for the
simulation of aerodynamics
and vehicle thermal
management
www.cd-adapco.com
The organiser of TCT Live,
Rapid News Publications,
is hoping to fght the
credit crunch by making
attendance to its Additive
Manufacturing Conference
completely free of charge.
The two day event takes
place at the Ricoh Arena,
Coventry from the 20th -
21st October 2009
www.tctshow.com
ROUND
UP
D
assault Systmes has
signed an agreement with
Portland-based consultant,
i-generator with a view to
strengthening its position in
the PLM market for retail, footwear and
apparel industry.
i-generator is a footwear creation services
consultancy, specialising in applied research,
biomedical engineering, mechanical and
industrial design, development and sourcing.
The company has worked with Timberland,
Nike, Scott, and Merrell. i-generator will work
with the Enovia team to deliver Enovia-based
solutions to global footwear manufacturers.
Dassault already has two commercially
available Retail, Footwear and Apparell
(RFA) related off-the-shelf, PLM products
and this agreement should see these
expanded upon.
Go to DEVELOP3D.
com for a more
detailed
analysis
of this
move.
Dassault gets the boot in with i-generator
Blue Ridge
unveils UV
reactor design
CFD module
B
lue Ridge Numerics has
launched a new UVCalc
Module for its CFdesign
CFD (Computational Fluid
Dynamics) system that is
designed to simulate and validate
ultraviolet (UV) reactor performance
to help ensure accurate uence rates
(irradiances) for UV light disinfection.
According to the folks at Blue Ridge
Numerics, "The use of germicidal UV light
is a rapidly expanding technology that is
used to ensure public safety by deactivating
the DNA of bacteria, viruses, and other
pathogens, removing their ability to multiply
and cause disease."
The technology is being targeted at design
engineers developing UV applications for
drinking water disinfection, wastewater
treatment, and manufacturing processes
for the food and drink, medical device,
pharmaceutical, and semiconductors
industries (among others) who want to use a
CAD-integrated system.
Go to DEVELOP3D.com to check out a video
demonstration of the new technology.
www.cfdesign.com
CFdesign UVCalc
Module allows users
to simulate and
validate UV reactor
performance
F
ollowing the launch of
Inventor 2010, a number
of third-party developers,
including TraceParts, Blue
Ridge Numerics and Okino,
have announced their add-on products.
TraceParts Software's suppliers and
standard parts catalogues have successfully
passed the challenging Autodesk Inventor
2010 certifcation. The company boasts 100+
million 3D models and 2D drawings, which
include both industry standard components,
and manufacturer-specifc catalogues.
Blue Ridge, the developer of CFdesign
(pictured), has integrated its Computational
Fluid Dynamics (CFD) system into the new
look, feel and functionality of Inventor 2010
using technology including Shrinkwrap,
originally available on Autodesk Labs.
Finally, Okino Computer Graphics, a
CGI and visualisation data translation
specialist, is now shipping Autodesk
Inventor 2010 Certifed products which are
designed to allow the "crack-free geometry,
hierarchy (assembly data) and materials
to be transferred from native Autodesk
Inventor directly into any Okino data-
conversion-compliant program, including
PolyTrans, NuGraf, 3ds Max and Maya
(vianative plug-ins), EON Reality software, ,
Visual Components 3DCreate, NGRAIN.
www.traceparts.com
www.cfdesign.com
www.okino.com
Inventor 2010 partner apps gather pace

NEWS

F
irst seen during a visit to
3Dconnexion's German
headquarters in the summer
of last year, we've been
itching to tell you about the
new SpacePilot Pro, which represents
the next evolution of the 3D control
specialists product range.
Following on from and improving on the
companys SpacePilot product, the core
technology inside the SpacePilot Pro remains
the same, using the control cap to provide
full 3D navigation of 3D models on screen.
However, there are the trademark features
of the more advanced 3Dconnexion
products, such as
A1 Technologies
redenes entry
level 3D printing
market
the programmable buttons, axis locks and
the addition of an LCD monitor, this time in
glorious techni-colour.
In addition to providing visual guides to
the context-sensitive short cut buttons,
the LCD can be used to connect to the
desktop, stream Outlook calendar items,
tasks and to-do lists, and even preview
email or stream an RSS feed. There are
fve new QuickView navigation keys
that provide access to the usual top and
bottom, right and left, front and back, two
isometric views - they also add 90-degree
view rotation of any view either clockwise
or counter-clockwise - something that's
incredibly useful when you start to use it.
The device will begin shipping later this
month, costs 399 and is backed up
with a three year warranty.
www.3dconnexion.com
The latest 3D mouse from 3Dconnexion takes CAD model
interaction to new levels with an integrated colour LCD screen
3DCONNEXION LAUNCHES
ULTIMATE SPACEPILOT PRO
A
1 Technologies has just
launched a 3D printer for well
under 1,000. The RapMan 3D
printer is designed primarily
to aid CAD/CAM in schools as
many schools struggle to deliver the
manufacturing side as the equipment
has typically proved too expensive.
The machine comes in kit form, and building
the RapMan also allows pupils to learn basic
engineering principles. Once the RapMan is
built, 3D parts can then be produced using a
specially designed extruder head laying down
a fne bead of molten plastic. The machine
has been specially designed using clear
acrylic parts so that students can see and
understand the production process.
The price of 750 includes everything
needed to assemble and run the equipment,
including software to slice an .stl fle and
convert it into the G Code read by the RapMan
machine. RapMan is also highly cost effective
to run, says A1 Technolgies, with materials
costing from 20 per kilo. This means that a
typical 3D model produced on the RapMan
will cost pence rather than pounds.
RapMan also offers a good variety of
materials. Supplied in flament form
in 1kg reels, the RapMan can extrude a
wide range of polymers, including ABS
(widely used in car parts amongst other
applications), polyethylene (high and low
density), polypropylene, polystyrene, PVC,
polycarbonate and polylactic acid, which is
starch-based and therefore bio-degradable.
While targeted at schools, DEVELOP3D
will be trying out the technology in a future
issue and assessing its suitability for the
professional product development sector. At
750 we are just too intrigued.
www.rap-man.com
I
n line with the launch of Intel's
new Xeon 5500 Series Nvidia has
unveiled its new top-to-bottom
line of Quadro FX professional GPU
solutions, many of which will soon
be available in new workstations from
all the major manufacturers.
Joining the Quadro FX 5800 and Quadro
FX 4800, which were announced last year,
are the Quadro FX 380, FX 580, FX
1800, and FX 3800. Apart
from promising better
performance than
its previous
generation cards, one of the most interesting
new features is the introduction of Nvidia
SLI Multi-OS, a technology that enables
workstation virtualisation.
Supported in the Quadro FX 3800 and
above, SLI Multi-OS works in association with
Parallels Workstation Extreme virtualisation
software and Intel's VT-d technology,
assigning both the host and guest virtual
machine its own dedicated GPU and
boasting close to 100% the 3D
performance that you would
get from running each OS
on its own workstation.
Meanwhile, AMD has
announced the availability
of its high-end ATI FirePro
V7750 graphics accelerator.
www.nvidia.com
www.ati.amd.com
www.parallels.com/products/extreme
Nvidia updates Quadro FX graphics family
With two Quadro
FX3800 graphics
cards, Windows
and Linux can be
run at the same
time on the same
workstation with
little or no drop in
3D performance
3Dconnexion's new
SpacePilot Pro features a whole range of
programmable functions for CAD and
also offce applications
It might look
like a Heath
Robinson
original, but
the RapMan is
actually a low-
cost 3D printer
autodesk.indd 1 14/04/2009 19:02:48
DriveWorksXpress
Now inside EVERY seat of SolidWorks
Fill out the form
Create new variations of your parts,
assemblies and drawings automatically
www.driveworksxpress.com
The Easy-to-Use Design Automation Choice for SolidWorks
p12_D3D_APRIL09.indd 1 14/04/2009 19:24:42
In times of trouble, perhaps the best
thing you can do is take a long hard
look at what you do, how you do it
and what tools you use. Al Dean
thinks now is the perfect time to
armour up for the battle ahead

COMMENT

technologies, or even used them at all?
Perhaps now is the best time to take a good
look, and see what they oer and re-assess
your workow.
If designers and engineers of the forties
and fties could achieve such innovative
feats of engineering, then what could
be accomplished now with the wealth of
technology available at our ngerstips?
Now is the perfect time to retool and get
working, because if any group of global
citizens can pull us back from the brink of
the economic apocalypse, its designers and
engineers - as we always have done. Lets
get cocked, locked, and ready to rock. Al
Dean. Over and out.
L
ooking at the current state
of affairs in the worlds
economy, were facing
the harshest climate for
business that the world
has seen in decades. Cash
is drying up and the world
of engineering, design and
manufacture always gets hit hard when
the going gets tough. And, by Christ,
its looking rough out there these days.
Weve seen entire countries going tits up,
the banking world is in complete turmoil,
and if you read the news, as Im sure we
all do more-so now than ever before,
theres nary a glint of light at the end
of what looks to be a long, dark tunnel
ahead of us of all.
While it undoubtedly looks bad for all
concerned, perhaps now is the best time
to re-evaluate what we, as designers,
engineers, as producers of products, do, how
we do it and the tools we have at our disposal
- and perhaps more than anything else, take
a look at how far weve come. I was reminded
of this recently when I took a wander around
Cosford Air Museum, just a few short miles
from where I live in the Midlands.
I spent the rst hour marvelling with
schoolboyish glee at the range of distinctly
mean looking aircraft on display and the
joy of seeing that Mark I Spitre in the
metal, when the closest I got was a 1:15
scale Airx kit and an urgent need for
superglue solvent. But then I considered
what I was looking at and came away with
one single thought.
If such a wide range of innovation can be
accomplished without the use of technologies
we now take for granted - the invention
of the jet engine, radar, nuclear power to
name but a few - what potential is there
today? A case in point is the display model
of an aircraft landing wheel shown to the
right. This cutaway model is the physical
manifestation of years of development, using
paper, pencils, hand calculations and sheer
bloody expertise. Even to present the concept
and workings of a seemingly innocuous but
critical component, required that the model
be built and cutaways created.
DEVELOP3D MARCH 2009 13
If any group of global citizens can

pull us back from the brink of the
economic apocalypse, its designers and
engineers - as we always have done
When you consider that with todays

tools, you could build the model in 3D,
test it according to real world operating
conditions, instigate design change at your
whim and present that component, in a clear,
understandable form, without ever having to
physically manifest it, thats a huge shift.
So if such ground breaking and
breathtaking work that is the very denition
of innovation, could be accomplished
using, seemingly archaic tools, how was
it possible? What was the catalyst to such
rapid product development that saw things
shift so dramatically?
Now, I dont ever intend to compare the
climate of the forties and early fties to the
situation we nd ourselves in now, but there
is a lesson to be learned. When the chips
are down, when things are bad and youre
under extreme pressure, you have one of
two options. You can give up and kowtow
to that pressure, hoping (probably in vain)
that things will improve. Or, you can come
out ghting. You can use your knowledge
and expertise to shift what you do, to create
better products, to create true innovations,
to reassess everything and nd a way to
work more eciently and intelligently and to
nd new areas to work in, new markets, new
opportunity.
But how do you do this without resources,
which for some companies are as scarce
as they were back then? Its all well and
good me sitting here and trying to rally the
troops to action, talking about rearming for
the battle ahead, but when youre facing
economic meltdown, there are sometimes
precious few resources available to buy in
new technology.
However, what is worth considering is
that there is probably a wealth of tools in
your current toolset that you are simply not
using or taking advantage of to the fullest.
Take, for example, the bundling options
available within the majority of modelling
systems. I would bet there are tools there
that have never been investigated and
used in anger. How many users already
have simulation, analysis, rendering and
collaboration tools sat on their hard drives,
but have never invested time in these
Al Dean is Editor of DEVELOP3D Magazine.
During the writing of his comment this month
the rumour is he wore a NATO issue helmet. It
was just lying around his offce. Apparently.
A cutaway model
of an aircraft wheel, a
true feat of engineering
p13_D3D_APRIL09_Al 2.indd 13 14/4/09 10:33:29
Cloud Computing is here and it wont be
long before the PLM developers work
out how to deliver a seamless design
environment that brings together the
best parts of the web and product
lifecycle technology, writes Josh Mings

COMMENT

E
veryones talking about
The Cloud and if you
havent heard of it yet, you
have now. It will be the next
giant ripple to change your
work habits since you frst
hit the send button on your
frst email. It will be the
place where all of your data is stored,
accessed from and you will go and work
there each day. It is the quintessential
collaboration environment for all of your
tasks in every stream of your business
and personal life. And yes, it will even
be part of how you design, engineer,
manufacture and communicate product
concepts and changes to co-worker and
clients. Cloud computing is moving every
business process youre involved in to
the Internet. And the implications this
has for CAD and PLM is one of the most
interesting topics the entire industry has
ever been faced with. How will it begin?
Thats the biggest surprise of all. Were
already a part of making it happen.
There are a lot, and I mean A LOT, of
acronyms I could use to really complicate the
somewhat obscure concept of what is Cloud
computing, but simply put, the Cloud is the
Internet and Cloud computing is you, doing
your work, in a Web-based interface.
There is also a lot of back-end, upper tier
technology that goes along with this - there are
security factors, how information is delivered,
how that information integrates with different
programs and where all that information is
physically located. Yes, its actually located on
servers somewhere. Servers that all of us rely
on to function as productive binomial citizens
of an Internet-dependent age.
What the Cloud does for us is provide a
method of accessing and using data from
anywhere. Sound familiar? It should. This
has been happening to a certain degree
for decades. Its the same concept as the
telephone, television and radio. All that data
is transmitted simultaneously to different
locations. That model, in its limited reach, is a
bit static compared with what were looking at
today. Cloud computing brings a much more
dynamic set of resources into our busy lives.
Its with these resources that we are able to
view, manipulate, scale and share information
across different networks with the added
strength of having it displayed in different
ways, depending on the program were using.
The best example would be a web application
like Google Docs. Within a single online
environment you can create, store, modify
and share documents. Those documents can
then be attached to, or used within, other
applications across the Web... the Cloud. Its
about being completely productive online
without being confned to a single location or
computer. You do it all, online.
There are some interesting ideas about how
this actually applies to CAD and PLM - or if
its even feasible that a highly collaborative
workfow with large sets of data could be
ported to the web. As designers, engineers
and people involved in the CAD/PLM industry,
were already taking on new ways of working
online with everyone we know. That, in itself,
is moving us and the business of product
development ever so close to the ethereal
edges of completing the entire design to
manufacturing process online. We can
imagine impossibilities of moving CAD into
the cloud, but havent really considered the
idea of moving Cloud Computing into CAD
- starting with aspects of Cloud Computing
as part of the current CAD/PLM process
and pushing it online. That has immediate
implications for CAD users, especially those
that know how it could be done.
It can start by using applications already
available. The idea is to centralise the daily
tasks involved in product design. Thats
huge. However, data storage, design review,
document creation, customer relations and
project management are all parts of that
product lifecycle which can be done online
right now as you read this. The biggest
problem is, all of these great separate parts
do not make a whole, and we always come
up against tying them into actual engineering
and manufacturing. That shouldnt deter any
curious CAD user or industry executive from
wanting to discover how the illustrious PLM
lifestyle can be transformed into a web-
based app of previously unseen functionality.
Eventually, someone will coin the term PLaaS
(Product Lifecycle as a Service) - or something
conveniently similar - and companies will be
vying against one another about how CAD
web standards should be defned. At times,
a closed and bloated PLaaS business model
will cause worry of popular acceptance. But,
think of this. Email and PDF. Both easily gained
popular usage and both are among the frst
business tools for widespread adoption online.
Cloud Computing in the area of CAD and PLM
doesnt need to take a complicated process
and remove functionality so it works on the
web; it needs to take a complicated process
and make it simple to use. The complexities
can be handled on the back-end, the user side
(as it should be now) must be the focus.
The Cloud is already changing how design
is happening. Were using applications that
are not tied to a single computer or a single
offce. Perhaps its more loosely associated
than some would like, but in the beginning
it always is. Theres a vast area of openness
for CAD and PLM to make a move into the
Cloud area of computing. We as users play
a direct role in how we currently use Cloud
technologies to communicate our designs and
how we move and store data. The next logical
step is to actually be able to work with 3D data
and all the information connected to it in an
online environment. There are certainly going
to be sceptics for such a feat, but just imagine,
there was a time when the idea of putting
hand-drawn schematics of ink and vellum into
an electronic box were simply unbelievable.
Its going to take some of those fancy back-end
process with a big dose of innovation to have
all the parts working simultaneously. In the
end, however, a seamless design environment
that brings together the best parts of the web
and the best parts of the product lifecycle will
peel off years of fle cabinet ineffciencies and
paper trail madness, leaving us at once with
immense amounts of possibility.
On page 49 Martyn Day discusses how games
technology could become the driving force for
cloud computing in the CAD sector.
Josh Mings is a Mechanical Engineer in the Aircraft Interiors Industry
and the brains behind solidsmack.com. He hopes that Cloud Computing
will give him more time to practice his favourite pastimes of sleeping
and eating fajitas. josh@solidsmack.com
Eventually,
someone
will coin the
term PLaaS
(Product
Lifecycle
as a
Service) - or
something
conveniently
similar
p14_D3D_APRIL09_Josh.indd 14 14/4/09 14:07:54

First Cut DEVELOP3D 216 x 303.indd 1 22/3/09 19:01:03
A variety of tools are needed to drive
eciency in product development but
while technology often gets in the way
there are other hurdles to overcome
before you can adopt the best tools
for the job, writes Rob Jamieson

COMMENT

of persuasion he exported this fle and it
imported into 3ds Max with no issues. The
company then purchased 40 seats.
HORSES FOR COURSES
The scenario where the best bit of software
for a job might not come from the same
provider is quite typical. Of course each
ISV believes it has the best solution across
the board but invariably some ISVs are
better at certain design requirements than
others. In some cases software will even be
recommended to do a job that its not really
ft for - the hammer manufacturer selling
you its top end model to drive a screw,
springs to mind.
Again a lot of visualisation software is used
to win bids with 3ds Max for architectural
projects but the 3D data cant be taken into a
CAD package with any accuracy.
The other problem with using multiple
software vendors is learning the software
itself. In addition to often having different
workfows, each vendor uses its own
menus and naming conventions. Microsoft
implemented the ribbon menu and a lot of
design software is now using this or planning
to. Personally Im still fghting the ribbon in
Offce but perhaps Im just getting old.
A QUESTION OF POLITICS
What happens if the corporate standard is
one type of software but another supplier
fts your needs and cost structure better?
I was at a recent ISV event where a large
corporate customer wanted to switch to the
software that was being showcased at the
event. The issue was that the company policy
was for a more expensive system with limited
add-ons even though it didnt particularly ft
his needs and even the supplied hardware
wasnt up to the job for the types of models
he created. While overcoming the politics was
one challenge, he also needed to work out an
effcient way to get his design data into the
new system. Its often hard for companies to
cope with the down time and the potential
cost/loss of data. For reasons like this, a lot
of people stay with their current ISV and take
what is offered. Each ISV also has a form of
subscription, which ties you into using their
software and if you stop paying you have to
pay more in the future, should you upgrade
outside of a subscription contract.
THE POWER TO CHANGE
Before the credit crunch I used to travel to
other countries in Europe where there tends
to be more analysis on the overall cost of
ownership. In Germany, at the larger car
manufacturers, each vendor must supply their
hardware for tender and they choose the best
value and performance. Im not saying they
swap software each year but they still have
more control at a local level in the design dept
and it certainly works for hardware. One of the
reasons they have more control is to do with
the value that is placed on engineers in Europe
as opposed to the UK. Sadly, this is something
that is not going to be fxed overnight.
If you are thinking of switching software,
as well as asking yourself can it do the job
as well or better, my recommendation is to
do a complete cost analysis of swapping ISV
providers and hardware, taking into account,
subscription, translation, different support,
and downtime costs. The intangible costs
such as who will give you better support,
links with your suppliers, improved quality of
product and shorter lead times should also be
assessed even if there are no hard numbers
as its likely that you will have to live with your
decisions for a good few years.
Choosing the best tools for the job
is a complex process, which not only
needs careful assessment, but a lot of
manoeuvring. Just make sure you dont
get stuck with a hammer when all of your
products are assembled with screws.
T
o get our jobs done today
we need to use several
different software
tools. There is very little
software that does it
all. I know that some
designers spend most of
their time doing a set job
but if you need to visualise a project or
add electrical to a mechanical design to
get a peg board layout you have to use a
different tool.
Once you have created your design data
you can take it into an add-on package,
but most of these are more expensive than
the base design system. If you had a large
design department with multiple copies
you could get the foating license version
but to install the add-on you need a license
per workstation in a lot of cases. If you can
get a foating license it often ends up being
a race to log on frst in the morning to take
the licenses and companies generally end
up requiring one add-on per seat, which
bump ups the price.
WORKING WITH DATA
If you need a different tool or software
from another provider you need to get the
data from your current software into it. In
some cases its quite easy, say taking data
into a PDF to distribute, but if its taking
NURBS surfaces or parametric data its
generally not in the interest of the original
software provider to help you get your data
into a competitors package.
Once I was helping a potential customer
who wanted to visualise aircraft assemblies
for training purposes and was looking at
purchasing 3ds Max. The design software
supplier was there and we asked for IGES
fles, as all we needed was the geometry.
Once imported the model was full of
missing faces, so I went and sat next to
the ISV (Independent Software Vendor)
suppliers onsite person to look at what he
was exporting. It transpired he was using
an older version of IGES, even though a
later version was supported in his software.
I asked if he could use that and he initially
responded that he couldnt, but after a bit
In some cases software will even

be recommended to do a job that
its not really t for - the hammer
manufacturer selling you its top end
model to drive a screw, springs to mind
Rob Jamieson is marketing manager for workstation graphics at AMD.

He once considered moving to Germany to command more respect as
an engineer. That thought didnt last long. The opinions expressed in
this article are not those of AMD. robert.jamieson@amd.com
p17_D3D_APRIL09_RobJ.indd 17 14/4/09 11:02:02
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p18_D3D_APRIL09.indd 1 16/04/2009 15:54:09

COMMENT

TAKING KEY DECISIONS EARLY
At a very early stage in the design process a
lot of key decisions are often made in regards
to the selection of materials. This is a result of
many environmental or physical performance
attributes being dened early on. e.g. must be
able to operate in 120C ambient temperature
environment; must be able to support 200kg;
mustnt shatter when dropped etc. What is
critical to remember is that this material
selection process needs to be carried forward
into the detail design phase.
Dierent plastics behave dierently within
the same geometry. Certain materials are
more prone to sinking or creating voids,
melt ow indices give a hint as to how well
very thin sections will be lled (or not lled);
bre lled materials are prone to warping
according to the alignment of bre
structure and the inuence this
has on shrink. If we then add in
the variables associated with
the design of a mould tool, then
the list just grows and grows.
VARIANCE IS AN ISSUE
If we now look at various ways
of achieving the same geometry
in an ABS thermoplastic via
DEVELOP3D APRIL 2009 19
wild and
eclectic
chair
designs
that
grace the
covers of
magazines
and are
never seen
again is one
of my pet
hates why
bother?

Form and function are the core tenets

of product design, but by not fully
understanding the eects that
manufacturing can have on materials,
John Tumelty believes were working
one sandwich short of a full picnic
John Tumelty is Managing Director of Proto
Labs. His headquarters in Telford has more CNC
technology than really should be allowed in one
place. john.tumelty@protolabs.co.uk
dierent manufacturing methods, even more
dierences and diculties become apparent.
Figure 1 shows standard tests carried out
on a standard shaped part made via dierent
processes (FDM, CNC machining and injection
moulding) with three dierent gate locations
for the moulded part to highlight the impact
of gate positioning. What youll see is that
even with the same material and same
geometry processed in a variety of dierent
ways, the manufacturing and processing
methods can have a huge inuence on the
mechanical performance of the part.
IN CONCLUSION
To conclude, without waing (too much), the
material selection process is a mineeld for
the designer and a critical component of this
selection process must be the nal intended
manufacturing process combined with how
the geometry will inuence this. The design
process should not be segmented into
isolated stages but should ow, continuously
re-evaluating earlier conclusions before
achieving completion.
M
aterial science
is a topic of
immense depth
and complexity
and it doesnt
diminish that
much even when
you flter out a
signifcant number metals, ceramics or
plastics. With plastics alone, for instance,
there are many thousands to choose from
with a vast range of different chemical,
mechanical, physical, aesthetic and
processing properties.
Whilst I never set out to be a talented
bore, my wife continuously reminds me of
this innate ability, so I plan to keep this to
a relatively simple overview of some key
considerations that the designer should
be aware of during a plastic product
development phase.
FORM & FUNCTION
The shift of focus within the design and
engineering eld in recent years has led
to a disproportionate concentration on
aesthetics when really what is required is
a rounded approach, one which balances
aesthetics with function, with performance,
with manufacturing. The number of wild and
eclectic chair designs that grace the covers
of magazines and are never seen again is
one of my pet hates why bother?
Sample Manufacturing
Method
Av. Peak Load
(N)
Av. Peak Stress
(Mpa)
Av. Strain at
Break (%)
Av. Break Stress
(Mpa)
CNC Machined 489.3 37.6 16.2 31.5
Moulded (Gate at each end) 462.6 35.3 2.0 35.3
Moulded (Gate in centre) 458.1 35.3 2.2 35.3
Moulded (Gate at one end) 556 42.7 14.5 37.2
FDM (X axis build) 240.2 17.7 1.6 17.7
FDM (Y axis build) 235.7 17.4 1.5 17.4
FDM (Z axis build) 191.3 14.4 1.5 14.4
FIG.1 TeSTS CArrIeD ouT oN A STANDArD SHAPeD PArT MADe vIA DIFFereNT ProCeSSeS
(FuSeD DePoSITIoN MoDeLLING (FDM), CNC MACHINING AND INJeCTIoN MouLDING)
p19_D3D_APRIL09_John.indd 17 14/4/09 13:54:47
20 MONTH 200X DEVELOP3D

PROFILE

PRODUCT
DESIGN
SHOWCASE
Liebherrs LHM mobile lifting
machine, which uses a wheel
base to position itself alongside
vessels, can lift a whopping 200
tonnes in one go. Pictured (left)
Pro/Engineer model
On a recent trip to the docks, instead
of rubbing shoulders with sailors,
Stephen Holmes found himself in the
company of heavy machinery capable of
lifting the Statue of Liberty in one go and
you cant get more manly than that
WEIGHT
LIFTER

T
he harbours of the world have their own towering skylines,
peaking with the giant cranes used to unload mammoth
transporter ships of their containers.
Liebherr is an expert at engineering on a large scale, designing
and building cranes, excavators and mining trucks amongst its vast
portfolio. Out of its family of colossal maritime cranes, the LHM
range is a mobile lifting machine, that gives its users versatility over
what it can lift, and where from using a wheeled base for mobility
alongside the vessel from which its unloading.
Designing something of this magnitude is a long process, with
assorted challenges, requiring a great deal of research and analysis
beforehand.
Walter Mietschnig, senior design manager for mobile harbour
cranes, oers that this operates around the need to quantify the
geometry with the system calculation. All system boundaries -
weight, transport - and the drive system were dened and claried.
A rst system model on the basis of a 3D Pro/Engineer model
was prepared including all main components, their arrangement
and required space as well as their accessibility. For the steel
construction an optimal force ow was investigated, he adds.
After the rst model was created a calculation of the stability and
strength was created. The nite element program Ansys was used
with an iterative process of optimisation of geometry, structure,
and force ow in order to reach minimum costs by a maximum of
customer value, says Walter.
The end product is a tower characterised by a tubular design that
gives it stiness and torsion resistance, while balancing the weight
to allow smooth movement when the crane rotates.
The most enormous of the LHM range, the 600 model, is capable
of raising over 200 tonnes in one lift, roughly the same as the Statue
of Liberty, without toppling over.
www.liebherr.com
p20_21_23_D3D_APRIL09_ProductDesignG allery.indd 20 14/4/09 14:15:39
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p22_D3D_APRIL09.indd 1 16/04/2009 16:56:58
SMALL WHEELS, BIG FRAME
A
gantry crane is a large frame that can shift a
weight anywhere within the area below; add
some dinky rubber wheels and it can career
around a dockside with glee.
The Rubber Tyred Gantry (RTG) crane is a smaller,
more lightweight version than its heavyweight cousin
that is used on engineering sites around the globe.
The mobile RTG crane is preferred for the task of
manoeuvring amongst the stacks of containers on
the dockside and ordering the cargo into neat piles.
Todays container handling industry is
driven by demands for greater productivity and
environmentally responsible operations. The Kalmar
RTG crane puts this into consideration by being
motorised by either an onboard diesel generator or
a cable system to provide electrical power for both
the mobility of the vehicle and the crane system. Its
power package is designed for ease of repair and is at
ground level with the electric housing close by on top
of the lower beam.
RTG marketing manager Marko Rasinen explains
that its model is developed year-on-year, working to
improve on a variety of issues. Starting from the
basic ideas, the concept was simplicity, with light
structures, low fuel consumption, a design that
makes the crane easy to service and reliable, points
out Marko, adding that from the initial stages and
research the design is moved into Catia to build a 3D
model that can be tested for structural strength.
www.kalmarind.com

PROFILE

AT ARMS LENGTH
T
he handling of containers is tricky work; their
bulk and weight requires a machine with
strength simply to lift them, but also poise and
balance to be able to stack them ve high.
Using an extending arm to lift and manoeuvre
containers in all directions generates an enormous
amount of stress and strain, all of which has to
be balanced by a relatively small body riding on
pneumatic tyres.
Designed to be quick, stable and for ease of use
on the crowded harboursides of the world, the
Reachstacker from Hyster, was developed with input
from all areas including engineers, end users and the
companys training department.
Pro/Engineer was used in the design stages, with
models put through strength and strain analysis,
before pilot versions are subjected to rigorous stages
of testing to allow it to handle containers stacked as far
away as ve high and three rows back.
Product manager for Hysters Big Trucks department,
Antoon Cooijmans, explains how they have advanced
their use of 3D design to include systems for all aspects
of the Reachstackers design. We have specially
developed software to calculate the stability of the
truck, he explains. This software is used for the load
moment indicator to protect the truck against the
danger of tipping over or sideways. To simulate the
hydraulic system, automation-studio is used.
Our 3D CAD system does have several add on
modules for hose-routings and wire-harnesses.
The name Hyster originated from the call of 1920s
forest workers in the US who would shout Hoister!
when a log was ready to be lifted.
www.hyster.com
(Top) For the design of its aptly named Reachstacker,
Hyster uses a wide range of tools including bespoke
stability analysis software. (Bottom) Kalmars
versatile Rubber Tyred Gantry (RTG) crane

PROFILE

Napier Turbochargers
manufactures all of its core
components in-house, including
this compressor wheel
p24_25_26_27_28_29_D3D_APRIL09_Napier.indd 24 14/4/09 17:33:44
TURBOCHARGING
DESIGN &
MANUFACTURE
Al Dean visits Napier Turbochargers, a company
that has recently undergone a management buyout
and is currently rethinking its product development
and manufacturing processes
I
magine youre running a successful
manufacturing organisation and discover
yourself in the middle of a management buyout.
For many companies, this doesnt present too
much of an issue, other than paper work, signing
a cheque and moving on to bigger and better
things. But when youre involved in the design
and manufacture of complex products and have
established practices and tools, management
buyouts can lead to software licensing issues which can
become an unexpected problem. At the same time it can also
be an opportunity, because when change is in the air, its the
best time to re-evaluate what youre doing, how youre doing
it and choosing the most eective tools to the job done.
This is the position that Napier Turbochargers nds itself
in today. The company has a rich heritage of innovation
within many elds, but the last few decades have seen the
Lincoln-based rm concentrate on its competency of the
design, manufacture and support high eciency industrial
turbochargers, used across a range of markets including
Marine Power, Rail Traction and Power Generation.
Having been through a buyout from the Siemens Turbo-
machinery organisation, the design and manufacturing
team is part way through the process of re-assessing how
it develops its products, what tools it uses and how the
process can be made more ecient.
When under the Siemens umbrella organisation, Napier
adopted Siemens NX as its design tool of choice to conform
to company policy and used Teamcenter to manage its
product data, along with a range of CAM systems for NC
programming. However, following the separation from
Siemens, the company has found itself in the position of
having to renegotiate its contracts for NX and Teamcenter
from scratch and was led to the door of Majenta PLM.
In consultation with Majenta, the team decided to
maintain its NX usage and adopt Teamcenter Express for
data management as they had before. What diered was
how Napier decided to extend the use of the system beyond
the design oce and into the manufacturing department
and factory oor.
COMPLEXITY AS A DESIGN CHALLENGE
Turbochargers are a complex beast. Whereas a naturally
aspirated engine uses only the downward stroke of a piston to
create an area of low pressure to draw air into the combustion
cylinder, turbochargers are used to compress the gases
to create a greater mass of oxygen within the combustion
cylinder. The additional oxygen makes it possible to combust
more fuel hence increasing the engines power and torque.
Napier operates predominantly in the marine, rail and power
generation sectors, and as a result its products are generally
of a much larger scale than those used in automotive.

PROFILE

Turbocharger
external casings and
internal aerodynamic
components are
customised to suit
the engine type and
confguration
Working within a supply chain
represents a challenge for
any organisation, whether
its up at the top or down in
the lower tiers. Each has its
own pressures and problems.
One thing that is becoming
a huge concern with many
organisations is the quandary
of needing to more effectively
share data with partners in
design and manufacturing,
whilst ensuring valuable
intellectual property in 3D
product models is protected.
Napier is currently in the
stage of evaluating several
approaches and technologies
to solve this problem.
When it comes to sharing
information with both
suppliers and customers,
Ian Pinkney sees the use
of 3D models as key, but
within a controlled manner.
Were looking at producing
simplifed and lightweight
models in a variety of
formats, he says. Certainly
in terms of installation, many
of our customers dont need
a full description. With a
turbocharger, theres no real
reason for them to have the
full detail just the interfaces.
Plus, if its an engine
manufacturer, they already
have a very large model
and they dont need a full
turbocharger model adding to
their fle sizes.
The team has been using
JT data for some time and
while this lightweight format
is becoming more common,
its often the case that theres
an element of education
as the customer might not
always be aware of it. Napier
is also looking at 3D PDFs
for visualisation, if not data
exchange. In terms of the
mechanism used to share that
data, Napier is investigating
ways to provide access to this
type of data using the web and
is currently looking at both
Teamcenter and some form of
Microsoft SharePoint set-up to
manage its models externally.
CollaboraTioN
aNd iP ProTeCTioN

Were such a
small team in
manufacturing
and being
able to devote
enough time
to bring a
new system
on board is
quite dicult,
having live
projects
that need
completion
Jon Riggal,
Senior
Manufacturing
Engineer at
Napier
at Napier, casings are designed
in-house with the capability to
manufacture or outsource
target market, and the performance range thats needed to
cover for those engines.
With so many variables, its clear that a powerful 3D design
technology is essential for the development of these complex
products, but there are still many challenges to overcome.
CHALLENGE AND BENEFITS OF 3D
Napier has a long history of using NX, and its team is very
experienced in using it in a 3D design context, but there
are still areas in which the company nds challenges.
According to Pinkney, this often stems from the multitude
of ways to accomplish a single task. Within all CAD
packages, there are dierent tricks and work arounds, he
says. Even with our models, there are certain things that
prove dicult and challenging just to get the model to do
what you want. From my point of view a question of interest
when truly designing in 3D is how much does the package
youre using inuence your design? Do you end up with a
design thats inuenced by what you can model, rather than
truly being what you intended.
Pinkney doesnt regard this as a negative, but rather part
of the challenge of working with 3D. However, compared to
the companys 2D AutoCAD-based past, working in three
dimensions brings all manner of benets, which seem to
be summed up nicely with a single word. Clarity.
One of the most interesting things about working with
3D is that youre more likely to come up with a new design
because you can see exactly whats going on and can
describe it more easily - and discuss it. Thats something
that gets missed, Pinkney enthuses. Its much easier to
discuss a 3D part on screen; it certainly brings more people
into the loop. With 2D, it was very easy for us to forget
that not all are as comfortable or necessarily as skilled at
interpreting 2D images as solids components. 3D takes
away a lot of the ambiguity.
With a highly experienced team, many might assume
that a company like Napier would operate with a hierarcy
of design engineers with draughting sta to detail their
work, but Napier, along with most organisations in Europe
is bucking that age old dierentiation. Pinkney feels that
the days of the draughting department are long gone,
and while draughting responsibilities are shared out
amongst the team, the original designer tends to follow a
project through to completion. When it comes to future
modication however any designer may pick it up.
This represents a challenge for Napier, as Pinkney
explains, There are thousands of ways to model a
component. As you increase complexity, more options
present themselves. Design change often requires more
experience from the operator; to modify something that
already exists rather than to model from scratch. You really
do have to understand how the model was constructed in
the rst place to be able to modify it, particularly when even
the simplest of modications can as a modelling exercise
prove quite dicult. Napier is currently looking at Siemens
Synchronous Technology, but with the complexity of its data,
and the performance driven nature of its designs, its yet to
gain great use within the organisation, but as Pinkney points
out, CAD software is a lot better than it used to be, but it is
still the designers skill in using the package that counts.
Alongside its continued usage of NX, Napier is also
working with Majenta to implement Teamcenter, not only
to centralise data and ensure that the team has access
The Turbochargers that Napier develops are far from
standard. With a wide variety of engines to integrate with,
and diering packaging and installation limitations, there
are many complex variables that inuence the design.
However, this doesnt mean that every design starts
from a blank slate built up with bespoke components, as
Ian Pinkney, Chief Design Engineer at Napier explains.
Its a family of products, but an extended one, he says.
Is it customised for the end user? Yes, it is, but from a
selection list. The one thing that were matching to is the
performance of the turbocharger for a given frame size and
there are a lot of options for any particular frame size - so
its not an o the shelf product.
The frame size can have four dierent turbines as
an option, adds Pinkney, as he explains just how many
dierent combinations of components can go into a
single design. There are around eleven nozzle sizes
depending on the capacity of turbine, four to ve dierent
compressor capacities, two dierent compressor designs
and a range of matching diusers. In terms of installation,
the turbocharger casings can be indexed to suit the engine
pipe-work and equally, the turbine inlet casing is commonly
customised to the end user.
The process of matching engine performance to
the turbocharger is done by the Application Engineer
department, which selects the parts required. But from
a design point of view, Napier starts out by looking at the
to the most up to date information, but also to handle
workow and sign o processes in a controlled and
structured environment.
We are in the process of dening our Teamcenter
Workow to better handle tasks, both within the design
and manufacturing departments, in particular tracking
a parts status, says Pinkney. When looking at product
data management, its not just about hard data but also
about keeping our schemes and ideas together which can
easily get fragmented. Harder still is capturing design
experience/expertise.
SIMULATION
Simulation has become an essential tool to help Napier
maintain its advantage. The team has a mix of o-the-shelf
analysis simulation codes, in-house developed tools, and
more task specic software. Napier specically carries out
extensive Finite Element Analysis (FEA) and Computational
Fluid Dynamics (CFD) analysis for the aerodynamic and
rotating components, but also employs FEA for static parts.
The team uses a combination Ansys (for FEA) and CFX
(for CFD) and with its new technology platform, has
adopted the NX module that allows preparatory work to
be done within NX, before the models are sent o to the
simulation team. Alongside these general-purpose tools,
Napier also uses specialised software for engine and gas
dynamics simulation. This comprises in-house developed
tools and external commercial applications.
MANUFACTURE
Once a design is ready to move to the next stage, the
manufacturing team kicks into action. At present, Napier
has a mix of both in-house and outsourced manufacturing.
While Napier concentrates on its core competency and
specialism it sub-contracts out other work (such as nozzles,
bearings and some cast casings). According to Jon Riggal,
Senior Manufacturing Engineer at Napier, In-house
manufacture is essentially rotating parts. We do build
some casings and while the capability is there in-house
for both those and the diusers, its really more a case of
managing workloads and productivity and more a purchase
driven decision. The key competencies are the rotating
components and we keep those in-house under our own
control, he adds.
The move away from Siemens Turbochargers has given
the manufacturing team the opportunity to re-assess

PROFILE

NX from Siemens PlM
Software is Napier
turbochargers tool of
choice for design
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The lines between Design Engineering and
Manufacturing Engineering are going to blur in terms
of what models are provided
Ian Pinkney, Chief Design Engineer at Napier

Napier Turbochargers
manufacturing shop
foor mixes machining,
assembly and test in a
single facility
and revamp how they currently work. A legacy CAM
system is in place, but plans are underway to move the NC
programming work to NX CAM as projects permit. Riggall
feels that the main driver for this move is being able to use
3D models direct from the Design team, whereas previous
workows saw too much reliance on paper drawings and,
in some cases, complete rework from scratch to create 3D
models for manufacturing.
None of the systems weve had in the past, or are currently
running with, are integrated into the design packages so its
a very laborious long winded process to go from Design to
Manufacture to produce NC programs, Says Riggall.
This represents a challenge for both Design and
Manufacturing to reconcile their dierent requirements,
as Ian Pinkney explains. What we provide will be key. The
lines between Design Engineering and Manufacturing
Engineering are going to blur in terms of what models are
provided. If a model is going to be manufactured, what
do the guys in manufacturing need and how should that
model be constructed? Perhaps intermediate models for
manufacturing rather than just nished part models are
produced in the design area? Do we produce drawings and
manufacturing layouts at all? These and other questions are
raised when we step back and look objectively at what we do.
If there are no drawings, how does the company
envision that critical, non-geometric manufacturing data
will be communicated? The team believes that Product
Manufacturing Information (PMI), a term for storing
annotation on a 3D model, holds great promise and will sit
well with manufacturing.
LOOKING TO THE FUTURE
The team at Napier Turbochargers is keen to get
up and running in its new environment, but such
implementations have to be managed carefully, as there are
live projects underway. The Design team already has NX up
and running, but with a history of using the system, this
should come as no surprise. Teamcenter is in use in within
design and Pinkney feels that this solves one of the age old
problems of multi-user teams and data distribution. Data
used to be stored on peoples home areas and a local drive
and sometimes, in dierent CAD packages. Teamcenter
will undoubtedly help with that, he says.
In the manufacturing department, the NX CAM
implementation is proving more time consuming.
As we stand here today, were not currently using the
manufacturing system because its a completely new
animal and were very conscious of getting everything in
place; naming conventions and the like in Teamcenter,
explains Riggall. We want everything to be right and our
team to be trained and skilled in its use before we come to
use it on a live basis. And weve still got our existing system
to fall back on. Were such a small team in manufacturing
and being able to devote enough time to bring a new system
on board is quite dicult, having live projects that need
completion.
The nal question for the team at Napier is how is it going
to use this technology platform as the basis for improving
both its products and business eciency moving forward?
Does a more integrated approach to design to manufacture
give its team an edge and where is that edge derived from?
Is it just a question of time saving? Ian Pinkney picks up
the thread, Its everything. Time comes into everything
you have to do. The more time you can save, the more time
you have to explore dierent designs. Obviously we have
a certain date by which to get a product manufactured
and to the customer, without which an engineer could
spend ve years optimising a product, doing all sorts of
experimentation. But, at some point, you have to decide
what youre going to do and get it done.

TECHNOLOGY

1 Inventor 2010
introduces the
Ribbon-based UI
thats been developed
in consultation with
users on Autodesk
Labs website
2 Alias, running
natively, on Mac OS X
F
lying 4,000 miles to look at some
new technology would, for many, be
considered madness - but for me, its
a job. And when you get there and nd
a wealth of new things to look at, it
makes all those hours sat in economy,
next to the rather grumpy Dutch lady
with personal space issues, all the
more worthwhile. While Autodesks
Mechanical development is split across almost every region
of the globe, Portland is the management hub and the key
decisions and movements are made from here.
The Manufacturing groups remit and product line has
expanded hugely in the last three or four years: from the days
of AutoCAD Mechanical and Mechanical Desktop, through to
Inventor and now has a range of analysis and manufacturing
products. While the core is Inventor, this product has been
expanded by acquisition from a 3D modelling and draughting
system, to an integrated design and analysis platform.
The acquisition of Alias gave Autodesk a massive shot of
adrenaline, both in terms of the types of customers it was
talking to (particularly automotive), as well as providing
a raft of technology that few would ever have a hope of
replicating. Alongside the pretty much unparalleled
surface modelling tools for both the industrial design and
automotive worlds, Alias brought Showcase and SketchBook
to the company - two applications which are now gaining
more exposure than they ever could have under Alias alone.
So, with all this acquisition and development work going
on, what does the 2010 release look like?
MOST INTEGRATED INVENTOR YET
First o, Inventor 2010 looks incredible. The rst thing youll
notice is that the ribbon interface has been adopted across
the entire Inventor suite of products. Now, while Ive railed
against this in other forms, when its done right, it works and
works well. Whats interesting here is that alongside all of
AUTODESK 2010
PRODUCT PREVIEW
Just as we were going to press, Al Dean shot o to Portland, home
of Autodesks Manufacturing Solutions division, to get an in-depth
look at the 2010 product line. These are his initial thoughts
the acquired technologies, Autodesk has also been actually
using its Labs website in earnest. While many other vendors
maintain a Labs website, where in late development code
is put out for public consumption and comment, Autodesk
is engaging its user community at a much earlier stage. In
the last year or so we have seen the next Inventor UI be put
through its paces on labs, along with many other tools which
well get to shortly. This means that the nal shipped version
has had all the rough spots knocked o, with users feeding
back whats good and bad, and it shows.
The categorisation of the commands (into discreet
areas, such as design, assemble, inspect) is intuitive and
is arranged sensibly. But whats intriguing is how the new
tools have been given the same reorganisation. A perfect
example is the changes made in stress analysis.
STRESS ANALYSIS
The Ansys-based, parts only limitation of previous versions
has been dumped and youll now nd the Finite Element
Analysis (FEA) technology from Plassotech has been
introduced to the core Inventor product, enabling full
assembly analysis. This can be driven from manual inputs,
but a more intelligent way is to use the assembly simulation
tools. These can be used to work out how loads transfer
between components in motion and with respect to time,
and then that data can be used to nd maximum loading
conditions and transfer all of the forces and loading data to
Stress Analysis. Again, this is fully integrated into the same
workow, as the data is fully transportable (with contacts
auto-created where possible).
Its obvious that a lot of work has been done on these
tools, and one thing particularly worth highlighting is the
breadth of optimisation tools now available. While most
FEA systems include some form of optimisation, Inventor
now allows you to conduct design experiments where you
can dene goals, parameters and variables for optimisation,
then use various techniques to nd a smaller set of studies
that will get you as close to your goals as possible. Its
quick to nd the variables that have the greatest eect and
inuence on the performance of the design, enabling you to
narrow down your geometry and get closer to the optimal in
a shorter space of time.
PLASTIC FANTASTIC
Another key focus for this release is the design and
manufacture of plastic parts, specically, injection moulded
parts. Development work has been split into two fronts
plastic parts and mould design.
Autodesk Labs has had the plastic part design technology
preview for some time. This is based on a development done
at Autodesk by Attilio Rimoldi (founder of ImpactXoft) to
oer an intelligent method of creating plastic parts. This
1
p30_31_33_D3D_APRIL09_Autodesk.indd 30 16/4/09 16:18:57
Now, the Mac. All
of the Alias demos
were conducted using
the OS X version of
the Alias products,
running on a MacBook
Pro and it seems to
be wonderfully well
put together. No,
its not the full Mac
experience, but it
replicates everything
with this release of
Alias, doesnt run
using X11 (as Siemens
PLM Softwares NX
does) and seems to be
doing a bang on job.
It certainly seems
that someone
has ficked the
Mac switch at
Autodesk, with OS
X implementations
cropping up across
many of its industry
divisions. Media
and Entertainment
has new versions
of Mudbox to
compliment the
existing tools like
Maya. More recently,
the Manufacturing
Solutions team
has launched Alias
alongside the existing
SketchBook Pro
product (all of which
well be covering in
some depth in the
coming months).
But now it also
seems that the
Grandaddy of them
all, AutoCAD, is going
to get a look-in too.
Theres currently
a survey grabbing
customer interest in
an OS X port. Shaan
Hurley, AutoCAD
evangelist, discussed
it on his Between the
Lines blog and some
of the comments
below, which came
from the post, were
fascinating.
I represent an
international yacht
design frm and
we have been with
AutoCAD and other
Autodesk products for
nearly two decades.
Last year we have
been moving over to
some Macs because
we getting just too
fed up with hardware/
software interface and
stability issues. We use
a lot of very specifc
Windows-developed
software because of
our niche industry
but we manage to get
everything running
just fne in VM ware
using either XP32 or
Vista 64-bit versions.
However it remains a
pain running in a shell,
disk access through
the virtual network
link for one slows
things down. Anything
which can run in the
native operating
system would be a
massive plus. AutoCAD
still remains our core
program to push out
2D working drawings
and as a result
remains the single
most used program
in the offce. Getting
that native on OSX
instead of Windows
would be a big plus.
The cost of the
hardware is irrelevant
in a professional
environment
compared to any
downtime due to
software/hardware
problems. In the
offce you just want a
machine which works
and keeps working.
Macs have proven to
be far more reliable to
us than any Windows-
based PC in the past
year. This was posted
by Alexander Simonis
of Simonis Voogd
Design. Its clear that
there is a real interest
in the Mac. Not just
running Bootcamp, but
native applications.
Check out
DEVELOP3Ds new
dedicated blog for
the Apple Mac
mac.develop3d.com
BACK
ON THE
MAC
2
p32_D3D_APRIL09.indd 1 14/04/2009 19:16:33
intelligence is not only in terms of how a history-based
system handles and maintains a constant wall thickness, but
also in terms of adding an impressive range of plastic part
features (such as mounting bosses, grills, ribs, lips/grooves
etc) that support the industrys language and geometry
types, as well as some standard features that might prove
mighty dicult to model manually.
Alongside the core design tools, 2010 sees the long awaited
release of Inventors mould design tools. Autodesk has been
developing these tools for a couple of years now extensively
testing the code via beta testers in China and Brazil. After
all, if youre going to have a mould design tool tested to
destruction, then where better than the worlds tooling hot
houses? From what I saw the toolset looks really quite well
developed and well be covering it in-depth in a forthcoming
issue, but all of the usual suspects are there, from split
line and shut-o creation, to core and cavity splitting, and
into the realms of mould base design, ejector and gating
location, slides, lifters and cooling channels.
The toolset looks very interesting, giving a range of
process-driven tools that combine a workow with the ability
to dive in and work manually (something thats essential). If
theres one thing thats screamingly obvious in its absence,
it would be electrode design, or at least the ability to extract
spark forms and create surface shut-os in their place, so
you have a truly complete core/cavity. That aside, its a well
rounded oering for a rst general release.
ALIAS AND INVENTOR INTEGRATION
The Alias acquisition gave Autodesk a boost and a fresh
perspective on the industries it has traditionally served.
Alias has always been primarily aimed at Industrial Design
and Automotive Design. Its interface doesnt look like any
other 3D design system and from that, you can learn a great
deal. Alias grew out of various organisations and platforms
(the SGI ownership still leaves its mark on the user interface
to this day), but what it lacks in Windows-standardisation, it
more than makes up for in sheer capability and tuning for a
very specic workow.
Whats interesting is that the development team has been
consistently improving its usability and while it may look
odd to those schooled in Windows, its unparalleled in its
ability to create and manipulate surface geometry.
The 2010 release sees the UI work continue to strip
back the toolbars (referred to as Shelves) and dialogs, add
in helpers like the ViewCube (thats common across all
Autodesk products these days) and to generally provide a
much greater level of direct geometry manipulation and
feedback. Theres also been some repackaging of the various
forms of Alias and youll now nd three core oerings:
AliasDesign, Alias Surface and Alias Automotive.
AliasDesign provides NURBS-based modelling, digital
sketching and all the basics youll need to get working on
for any concept design. Alias Surface builds on this, adding
greater surface control, a mix of both NURBS and Bezier
surfacing technology, reverse engineering (in terms of point
cloud and poly-mesh handling) and realtime visualisation.
At the top end of the tree is Alias Automotive, which has the
ultimate in surface control and ne-tuning for those looking
for complexity and utter perfection.
While there are numerous updates to the core capability
in the system, one of the big things for the 2010 release
cycle is the massively improved associativity between Alias
and Inventor. While the last couple of releases saw some
basic interoperability, 2010 looks to reset the benchmark for
how these things should work. Essentially, links between
these two, quite dierent, systems have been made much
more intelligent and full. Changes can be propagated and
fed through the process in the manner that you require.
CONCLUSION
Ive barely scratched the surface of what I saw in Portland,
so Ill be looking at each product in its own right over the
coming months, starting with Inventor next issue.
While I came away from the event with a head-full of
information, perhaps the lasting impression I had was one
of a company that has acquired a huge amount of technology
in recent years and has obviously been executing to a very
big plan. The integration of in-house developed tools with
acquired technology (from the likes of Plassotech and
Moldow which Ive not even mentioned) is breathtaking.
Inventor looks incredible for the 2010 release cycle and should
set the groundwork for a good few years of work to come.
The thing that really struck me was how well integrated the
Inventor Suite is and much of that comes down to a switch
in UI design for this release. When youre trying build new
tech into an existing system, its always a struggle to t it in
properly. By switching to the ribbon while building in all
of these tools for plastic part design, tooling, analysis and
simulation, Autodesk has given Inventor an incredibly well
thought-out interface that supports a much wider remit than
it has ever done. Its truly elegant to see it in action.
Alias remains the dierent looking system out of the
oering - and it probably will continue to be for quite
some time. The Alias users have a very dierent set of
requirements in terms of workow and functionality. Yes,
changes can be made to make it more interactive and more
dynamic, but the system remains usable and ultimately very
powerful. Itll never be shoe-horned into Inventor, because
the workows are so dierent, but the development done to
make the two systems work together should see it gain more
traction outside of its traditional market. And this last point
is worth thinking about. Alias is commonly connected with
Pro/E in the industrial design world - a read through any of
our users stories will back that up. But with the new tools
within Inventor, for plastic part design, for tooling and such,
then the potential for Inventor to take on Pro/E is there.
All in all, Autodesk is at the top of its game at the moment
and the product set is looking good - very good indeed.
Inventor looks amazingly well integrated and has a feeling
of cohesiveness that you dont nd in many systems, where
knowledge and experience can be transferred between
tasks with ease. Alias is moving along nicely and there is an
interesting range of tools built around Moldow, Showcase
and SketchBook. Those add-ons aside, consider that almost
everything Ive mentioned (design, tooling, plastic part,
simulation), is available within Inventor Professional, and it
represents a mind boggling bang for buck.
www.autodesk.com
3 Assembly motion
simulation uses
physical simulation
to fnd out how parts
and drives interact.
This information
can then be used to
feed further Finite
Element Analysis
4 New plastic part

design features mix
a range of intelligent
tools, with new
technology focussed
on maintaining shells
and wall thickness
5 Design of
experiment and
parametric studies
are possible within
stress analysis,
allowing users to
defne goals and
parameters, then fnd
the key infuences
on a products
performance
3
4
5

TECHNOLOGY

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DEVELOP3D.COM MARCH 2009 35
1 LAG Imperator guitar designed

and manufactured using VISI
2 From legendary rock riffs to

electronic music bizareness, LAG
guitars are a favourite of Motorhead
and Jean Michel Jarre
2

PROFILE

GUITAR HERO
Thousands of guitarists throughout the world, amateurs and legends
alike, use LAGs guitars. And theyre all made possible with the help of
Vero Softwares VISI Series for both design and manufacture
F
ounded in 1978 by Michel LAG Chavarria
in Toulouse, LAG started to make a name
for itself after setting up its workshop in
Bedarieux, a small town in the hills of
Roussillon in the south of France. Since
signing a deal with market powerhouse
Algam, Frances number one musical
equipment dealer, the guitar maker has expanded its
customer base far beyond its homeland and now enjoys
worldwide recognition.
The company has fourteen sta still designing and
building its high-end guitars in the original workshop and
further plants in China and South Korea turning out high-
quality instruments at more competitive prices, based on
prototypes conceived and crafted in France.
As the brand has set out to conquer much bigger markets
in recent years, LAG has looked for ways to update its
approach to design and manufacturing. The company
decided to invest in the latest technologies to enable them
to reduce time-to-market for its latest models and ensure it
maintained its reputation as a creator of exclusive guitars,
using rare woods with luxurious nishing and sharp
styling. The company invested in a custom built CNC
machining centre from Crneau Industriel that enables
them to machine several guitars simultaneously, and Vero
Softwares VISI CADCAM system to assist with both
design and manufacture.
LAG was looking for an intuitive CADCAM system with
both 2D and 3D machining capabilities, and a supplier
that would provide local support as the new working
methods were phased in. Vero France was on hand to
develop the Num 720 post-processor and provide training
and consulting services. This allowed LAG to reproduce
the machine setup and NC programs in a short timescale.
Etienne Rau, CNC manager explains, Our aim was to
develop the ability to respond more quickly to customer
enquiries, and build prototypes with a shorter lead-time,
without sacricing the levels of quality and creativity that
were the basis of the companys reputation. This has been
achieved and one key factor is that we now machine four
bodies and four necks at the same time on our CNC router.
This considerably reduces handling times and enables us
to get on with other concurrent operations.
In the eighteen months since VISI was introduced,
LAG has produced over 500 NC program les and the
software has had a major impact on the companys
working methods. The guitars are designed
in a matter of hours and the musician or sales
department can get an immediate, detailed idea of
what the instrument looks like. This provides a solid
basis for either approving or requesting modications
to the design. Since the company invested in a rapid
prototyping machine, it has even been possible to watch
the guitar being made.
The Chinese-built guitars are also designed with
VISI and, as soon as the prototype has been approved,
the drawings or models are sent to the Chinese plant
for production. To further optimise production, Reau
also set out to nd ways to reduce handling operations.
Turnaround time between operations is now faster and
the tooling use has been standardised with the use of
Ballnose mills instead of special tools. The combination
of ecient tool-paths and post-processor debugging
have enabled program optimisation and 3D machining
performance.
In terms of quality, the results have been excellent
explains Reau, We spend less time on surface nishing
because the machining is so precise. The point
distribution is very even and the result is a smooth tool-
path. Our complex surfaces come out great rst time with
an excellent surface nish. The direct consequence is that
we save time on nishing passes and a lot of money on
the abrasives we use for sanding, not to mention the
environmental advantages.
Concluding, Reau says, We are fortunate
to be working in a niche area with such
high added-value. LAG has built up a
very special know-how over the years
and we have combined this with hi-tech
resources. We are now in a position to meet
the demands of artists faster than ever, while
remaining nancially attractive. Not only have
we maintained our anchorage in Bedarieux,
but we have been able to demonstrate, every
day, that our production methods are in
line with the companys international
ambition.
www.lagguitars.co.uk / vero-software.com
1
p35_D3D_APRIL09_LAGguitars.indd 35 14/4/09 15:47:03

PROFILE

1 Atom is involved
in a diverse range of
projects. This scale
models purpose is
to demonstrate oil
drilling equipment
2 The angled forms

of Nokia headphones
inspired by Daft
Punks Robot Rock
3 Thriller by
Michael Jackson
4 Flying without
Wings by R Kelly
D
own the idyllic country lanes of
Ascot in the Spring sunshine there
is a workshop undertaking all the
projects too unique for anyone else
to possibly specialise in.
Working from a reconditioned
village shop-cum-semi-
detached house in the village of
Sunningdale, model building rm
Atom exists amongst a labyrinth of corridors and outer
buildings that stretch into a warren of rooms each active
with the types of projects that you always wondered where
they stemmed from.
The variety of projects is astounding; no job is too big
(a 30-foot spinnaker installation for the Chelsea Flower
Show), too small (resizing rubber straps for a shampoo
bottle holder), or too bizarre (constructing a working
prototype of a machine to measure the slippiness of a
supermarket oor).
Thats one of our strengths, explains managing director
Peter Day. We work with toy development, sculpting,
packaging, prototyping, the CAD side of things, vacuum
forming and stereolithography. A lot of our stu is unique
as its not your average model making. Its stretching the
boundaries a bit.
The quality of the end product is key; with the majority
of the models built by hand, noticeable from the seated
workers all busy sanding and adding detail to their work.

Our stance is more on the engineering side, explains
Peter. Our main strength is the variety and the breadth of
skills that we have in the one company.
We dont necessarily do it all in house, but with our
experience we have the contacts of well-tried contractors.
What makes us dierent from the bureaux that work
with SLA machines, is that we can do all that, and spray
it all, but on top of that develop the PCBs [printed circuit
board for toys and interactive models] and take the product
development further. We can give them a working model.
Atom is frequently approached to produce large-scale
models and displays for products or store fronts. The recent
Christmas display at Londons Selfridges of giant red
fragmented baubles cascading through the atrium of the
store were produced here, requiring a number of dierent
processes to achieve the completed nish.
The product of a commissioned artist, Atom worked to
create the full scenario from sketches and a miniaturised
model. They can come with a pencil sketch and we can
create the CAD data, we also have the collective experience
to know the manufacturing techniques and limitations and
can steer them in the right direction.
www.atomltd.com
Specialist Industrial model
producer Atom has been
building every imaginable type
of model for over 25 years, using
a variety of skills and tools.
Stephen Holmes goes behind
the scenes at the mighty Atom
As brazen, individual
and unique as design
gets, the Nokia Music
Almighty competition
felded a shortlist
of bizarre and
innovative designs,
all of which had to be
somehow built.
Using the online
design palette on
Nokias web site
designers were invited
to create their own
set of headphones
inspired by a music
track based on
standard Nokia
Bluetooth headsets.
Web visitors were
asked to vote for their
favourites before
the winners were
selected by a panel
of design industry
judges and musicians
including Felix Buxton
from Basement Jaxx
and Dick Powell of
Seymourpowell. The
fve winning designs
were then given to
Atom to produce as
working prototypes
adhering as closely
as possible to the
original design
concept.
All we had was a
sketch, reveals Peter.
MUSIC
WITH
WINGS
ON IT
1
p36_37_D3D_APRIL09_ATOM.indd 36 14/4/09 15:48:11
THE MIGHTY
ATOM
We worked directly
from the visuals
and everything else,
all the engineering
inside it, making it
work and ftting the
components, making
it strong enough we
needed to calculate
ourselves while
keeping it within the
visual aspects of what
theyd designed in the
frst place.
The headsets
involve quite a few
different skills, theres
the drawing it up in
CAD and then a few
different materials.
A lot of what we do
is totally unique and
has never been done
before.
A singular process
for a set of entirely
one-off designs,
drawing inspiration
from tracks as varied
as Flying without
Wings by R Kelly,
Thriller by Michael
Jackson, and a
seriously slick design
with Daft Punks
Robot Rock behind
its angled form.
It was a challenge,
divulges Peter. In the
instance of the dove
wings, we had to fnd
a place to supply the
wings and get the
right ones for the size
and ft for the model,
but also making
sure that all the
components are going
to ft inside in working
order.
The designs are
set to be showcased
in fagship Nokia
stores around the
world, including the
Nokia headquarters
in Helsinki, and in
Londons Regent
Street store this
month.
2 3
4
p36_37_D3D_APRIL09_ATOM.indd 37 14/4/09 15:48:34

TECHNOLOGY

and runs the whole length of the chassis so it can take
in cool air from the front of the machine and as a result
generate less fan noise. User maintenance and diagnosis
has also been improved and should the workstation develop
a power problem the supply unit can be removed simply
by pulling it out by its handle. Then plugging it into the
mains will help the user verify the cause of the problem. If
the supply is indeed faulty the green light on the side of the
unit will not come on. HP will then ship out a replacement
power supply which can be easily installed by the user.
In its quest for even quieter machines HP has also
innovated in its cooling mechanisms. Specially designed
injection moulded ducting means each CPU in a dual socket
machine receives fresh air from the front of the workstation
reducing the load and improving acoustics. Dedicated fans
for each memory bank also run independently from each
other to minimise noise.
For those craving even fewer decibels, a liquid cooling
option will be available soon and new Intel solid state hard
drives, which not only run quieter than traditional physical
drives, but consume less power and produce less heat, will
also be introduced. These will also increase performance
when accessing a lot of data, frequently.
THE Z FAMILY
HPs new Z workstation series feature three models,
the Z800, Z600 and Z400. The entire family is based
around Intels new Xeon processor 5500 and 3500 series
(codenamed Nehalem), which feature integrated memory
controllers and Turbo Boost Technology.
The Z400 is a single socket machine taking the price/
performance position in the range (though HP will
continue to produce its Core 2 Duo-based xw4600 for an
H
Ps new workstation family, the
Z Series is something to get quite
excited about. This is not just
because it features Intels powerful
new Xeon 5500 series processors,
but because HP has completely
re-thought the workstation and the
way it can be serviced, upgraded and
generally taken to bits.
To my mind, only Apple and Sun have delivered similar
levels of serviceability to those oered in HPs new
Z series, which is completely tool-less in design. This was
demonstrated at the launch event of the new workstations,
where HP showed just how easy they were to service and
maintain, starting with the agship Z800.
The whole system relies on clearly marked green levers
and clips to give users visual clues as to how to take things
apart. HP has done this before but never to this level of
simplicity. First of all there are no wires inside the machine!
These are all routed behind the back of the motherboard
not only to make things easier, but not to interfere with the
Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) optimised airow
throughout the machine. Even the dongles used to power
high-end graphics cards, such as the Quadro FX 5800, are
routed behind the motherboard and neatly clipped away
when not in use.
Everything in the system, from graphics cards to
hard drives (and even motherboard), feature innovative
mechanisms for easy and tool-less removal. Components
that rely on direct electricity, such as the power supply and
memory fans, use blind mate connectors, which are funnel-
shaped to guide the components into place.
The power supply itself has been completely redesigned,
HP Z SERIES
WORKSTATION
HPs new Z Series workstations not only promise incredible performance, but
oer customers new levels of serviceability. Greg Corke gives his rst impressions
HIGH-SPEED
WINDOWS aND
LINUX ON THE
SaME MaCHINE?
NO PrObLEM
Despite being one of the most
interesting technologies to
appear at HPs workstation
event, it was surprising that this
new workstation virtualisation
technology was given so little
stage time. Parallels Workstation
Extreme enables users to run
multiple Operating Systems on
a single workstation, meaning
Linux and Windows users
dont have to work with two
workstations concurrently or
resort to dual boot. But the real
beauty of the technology is that
it is claimed to run applications
at 95-100% of their full speed.
Parallels, the developer of the
Operating System virtualisation
software technology which
makes this possible, told
DEVELOP3D that it has already
had a lot of interest from the
automotive and aerospace
sectors. As a company, Parallels
is best known for its software
that enables Windows to run at
speed on Apples OS X. The new
workstation-class product will do
a similar thing for Windows and
Linux so engineers could switch
between their Linux-based CAE
software and Windows-based
design software, accessing the
same data off the hard drive
array, whilst driving effciency
and reducing the costs and power
requirements of maintaining two
workstations concurrently.
Schlumberger, a specialist
in the oil and gas sector,
showcased Parallels
Workstation Extreme running
on a HP Z800 workstation
with two 30-inch monitors.
The demonstration featured a
Linux-based simulation using
all of the workstations eight
physical cores while continuing
to perform interactive 3D
modelling operations under
Windows at full speed. Changing
control of the application was
as simple as moving the mouse
from one screen to the other
with the keyboard following suit
automatically.
Schlumbergers excitement
for the software was evident,
particularly as many of its
customers regularly need to run
legacy Linux code alongside more
modern Windows applications.
James Raquepau, OEM Alliances
Director, Parallels, told
DEVELOP3D the requirements
for the system are two identical
graphics cards (HP currently
supports Nvidias Quadro
FX3800, FX4800, and FX5800),
lots of memory and ideally a dual
socket (CPU) workstation.
Parallels software is
made possible by Intels new
Virtualisation Technology (Intel
VT-x), which is built into Xeon
Nehalem and while it should
run comfortably on any dual
socket Intel Xeon 5500 platform,
Parallels is initially partnering
with HP for the launch of the
product. It will retail for $399.
From frst looks, this appears
to be an essential technology
for those with multi OS
requirements, and Raquepau
also explained that this could
include those that want to work
with the forthcoming Windows
7 whilst maintaining legacy
Windows XP applications.
www.parallels.com
What
makes HP
stand out
from the
crowd is its
innovative
approach
to chassis
design,
which
looks set to
make the
servicing of
workstations
an absolute
breeze
p38_39_D3D_APRIL09_HP.indd 38 14/4/09 15:51:04

HP Z SERIES
WORKSTATION
even lower entry point). The Z600 is a compact dual socket
workstation, but for ultimate expandability the Z800 oers
up to 192GB RAM and 7.5TB of storage.
All workstations are armed with 1,333MHz DDR-3
memory and new professional graphics solutions have
been introduced across the line. These include Nvidias
Quadro FX380, FX580, FX1800, and FX3800, which join
the established FX4800, and FX5800 in the high-end
machines. The choice of AMD graphics cards has also been
expanded over previous generation workstation families
with the ATI FirePro V3700, V5700 and V7750 all oered as
standard options.
POWER SAVING
HP has made some bold statements about power, claiming
that on average its new workstations consume 35 percent
less power than similarly congured machines in its
previous generation. In terms of power eciency, all of its
power supplies now surpass the 80plus initiative and are
now 85 percent ecient. The redesigned 1,100W unit in
the Z800 is even 89 percent ecient.
HP has also done a lot of work on power saving and a
new hibernate mode called HP WattSaver reduces power
consumption to 0.8W, compared to the 2.1W in its previous
generation workstations.
INDUSTRIAL DESIGN
HP engaged BMW DesignWorks as part of its industrial
design team and to do the global customer research into
what its customers want from workstations. In addition
to the totally tool-less design to transform the way users
re-congure systems, the Z600 and Z800 feature integrated
handles making it easier to move them around on site.
Also, because the workstations dont have rubber feet, they
can be slid around on carpets and tiled oors.
Styling was also high on the agenda and the design
language developed by DesignWorks expresses clean
lines and premium materials. The grille that runs down
the entire front of the Z600 and Z800 was made possible
by incorporating a slot loading optical drive and brushed
aluminium side panels also feature. Finally, with its injection
moulded components, the machine also looks elegant from
the inside, as opposed to the usual mess of wires and clips.
CONCLUSION
With the introduction of the new Xeon 5500 Series, its an
exciting time for workstations in general. This is because
performance is about to go through the roof, particularly
when users are multitasking or running multithreaded
applications like 3ds Max.
However, while this level of performance will be seen
across new product introductions from all the major
workstation vendors, what makes HP stand out from the
crowd at this moment in time is its innovative approach to
chassis design, which looks set to make the servicing of
workstations an absolute breeze. Well be putting the new
models through their paces in the coming months, so stay
tuned. Meanwhile turn to page 45 for our rst impressions
of the Xeon 5500 Series.
www.hp.com/workstations
EIGHT CPU
COrES NOT
ENOUGH
fOr CaE?
GET 12
With the introduction of HPs
new Intel Xeon 5500-based
Z Series workstations,
what does this mean for its
AMD-based workstations,
specifcally the xw9400?
This high-end workstation
used to differentiate itself
from HPs Intel-based
machines because of its
Direct Connect architecture,
which was ideally suited to
applications that access a lot
of memory, frequently, such
as certain CAE (Computer
Aided Engineering)
software. However, with
the introduction of Intels
QuickPath technology in the
Xeon 5500 Series, which
also features dedicated per-
processor memory, rather
than using a Front Side Bus
(FSB), this differentiator is
no longer there.
Later this year, however,
the xw9400 will be able
to support six cores per
CPU, meaning a total of 12
in dual socket models, the
maximum available from
a mainstream workstation
manufacturer. This
could be an interesting
proposition for those
pushing the boundaries
of CAE on the desktop.
Despite the new Intel
platform featuring a total
of 16 cores, eight of these
are virtual, made possible
with HyperThreading. While
rendering applications like
Max and HyperShot beneft
from HyperThreading, most
CAE applications are unable
to take advantage of the
Intel-only technology.
1 forget
screwdrivers, the
Z800 can be taken
apart in minutes,
with your bare hands
2 HP engaged bMW
DesignWorks as
part of its industrial
design team
1
2
p38_39_D3D_APRIL09_HP.indd 39 14/4/09 15:51:12
NEi Fusion

SOFTWARE REVIEW

Al Dean reports on NEis standalone simulation package, which uses the foundation
of SolidWorks, one of the leading modelling packages, to give engineers and designers
access to powerful Nastran-based analysis while maintaining incredible ease of use
recently released NEi Fusion system.
Within the Nastran world, users typically
need to fnd a pre/post processor that talks
to the solver. This allows them to set-up
the simulation case in a task specifc way,
communicate it to the solver and then,
when complete, inspect the results. There
are many favours and types of pre/post
processors that integrate with Nastran.
Some are rather basic, some are geometry
driven, while others give the expert analyst
all the tools he needs.
NEi has built its pre/post processing
tools directly on top of a rather well known
modelling package called SolidWorks. Its
a little known fact that SolidWorks is sold
as an OEM license. Third party vendors
acquire licenses to build their applications
within it, so you buy it lock, stock and
barrel, rather than as an add-on. So, thats
the background, lets look at how NEi
Fusion works and what it can do.
A
s a feld within the world
of technology for product
development, analysis and
simulation is gaining major
traction - and rightly so. Engineers
and designers face economic, time and
environmental pressure to develop
higher quality products, at lower cost.
By adopting both FEA (Finite Element
analysis) and CFD (Computational Fluid
Dynamics), they have the ability to
simulate a products structural (using
FEA) and fuid fow or heat-based
performance (using CFD) and improve
upon them with each design iteration.
Amongst the often bewildering array
of technology available, the nuts and
bolts that make it work are arguably the
most important thing. This technology,
the solver, is key to making the whole
process work. If you have a good solver,
youre most of the way there.
The barrier to adoption has traditionally
been that the interface required to work with
complex solver code has not been exactly
friendly to mainstream users. This has
changed dramatically in the last decade,
with many vendors, typically from the 3D
design side of the fence, having created
applications that make it easy for designers
and engineers to reuse their 3D design data.
At the core, its the solver that counts
in terms of accuracy of result and scope
of capability. Itll give you much the same
results, whether youre working at a
command line level or using a nifty Windows-
based interface. One of the kings of solver
codes is Nastran, developed by NASA decades
ago and now, through anti-competitive moves
by the US government, effectively available to
anyone through the Library of Congress.
While there are several implementations
of Nastran, one company that has jumped all
over the opportunity is NEi Software with its
1
Product: NEi Fusion
Supplier:
NEi Software
Price from 2,534
www.neifusion.com
www.ssanalysis.co.uk
1 NEi Fusion
combines ease of
use and powerful
geometry creation and
manipulation tools
that interact with the
industry standard
Nastran solver
REVIEWS

PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT TECHNOLOGY
p40_41_43_D3D_APRIL09_NEiFusion.indd 40 14/4/09 18:45:09
2 NEi Fusion allows

users to mix and
match element types
to make use of the
most appropriate
method for each
specifc simulation
SIMULATION TOOLSET
NEi Fusion provides a whole range of tools
to set-up simulation studies, with material
selection, meshing, boundary defnition
(loads and restraints). This is done using
tools built directly into the SolidWorks
interface, using a dedicated left-hand panel.
This presents everything pertaining to a
specifc study in the familiar hierarchical
tree, adapted for this purpose. Users are
provided full control over their model and
the inputs to the study, such as material
defnition (on a part by part basis), physical
properties, constraints, loads, rigid bodies
and damping and contact defnition.
NEi Fusion makes full use of SolidWorks
ability to display, interact with and
manipulate data. With the addition of FEA-
specifc tools, the combination is pretty
compelling and there is a huge range of tools
available. Also, because models are based on
a leading 3D modelling system, developed
specifcally for that purpose, simulation runs
can take advantage of certain capabilities,
almost for free. De-featuring or abstracting
a model is a snap, either using SolidWorks
feature suppression or geometry
manipulation tools.
NEi Fusion supports the various analysis
and simulation processes of Nastran and
there are two basic confgurations. NEi
Fusion Basic bundle gives the ability to
simulate linear statics, modal analysis,
buckling, pre-stress, and steady state heat
transfer problems. The Expert package
extends this with advanced dynamics, and
non-linear capabilities for both structural
analysis and transient heat transfer. While
each of these is priced separately, in the case
of the advanced options, it makes complete
sense to license only those technologies you
have the requirement for.
Once the study is complete, next comes
the crunch work, with Nastran working in
the background to calculate the results.
Nastran feeds back progress to a separate
window and the user can inspect it as
it calculates. Next comes the fun bit -
extracting usable data from the study, on
which to base decisions.
POST PROCESSING AND
VISUALISATION
Using a combination of graphics display and
all the geometry manipulation tools available,
users can create standard representations
of their data. Contour plots are a snap to
create and fexible in their creation. For more
advanced work, textural-based data can
be extracted and output in a spreadsheet
2
1 Create geometry from

scratch, import data or
repurpose existing data using
abstraction/de-featuring tools
2 Select materials from the

database or key in properties
and physical properties mesh
type
3 Constrain geometry and

apply loads
4 Apply mesh and create

contact between assembly
components either manually
or using the effective auto
contact tools to handle the job
5 After running the problem

choose how to display the
results
NEI FuSIoN
IN 5 STEPS
p42.indd 1 16/04/2009 15:59:54
3 Visualisation of
results is key. NEi
Fusion uses the
underlying geometry
handling and
display technology
in SolidWorks, but
brings a whole host
of simulation-specifc
tools to help users dive
in and inspect data
format. All in all, theres a complete set
of tools for reporting on simulation and
documenting all the fndings of the study.
INTEGRATING INTO THE
NASTRAN COMMUNITY
There are many industries that rely on
Nastran as the standard solver code and the
ability to work within that environment can
be key, whether the user is simply working
on in-house projects or carrying out contract
work. With a range of data translation
options for both CAD (including all the
standard formats and a range of native
format options such as Pro/E, NX, Solid Edge,
Inventor etc), the user also has the ability
to work with Nastran-native data. Decks
can be sent to any Nastran FE-based solver,
whether thats NX Nastran or MSC Nastran
and binary results fles (in OP2 format) are
also usable by all Nastran solvers and wide
variety of post-processors.
CONCLUSION
NEi Fusion is an impressive product.
The team has combined two platforms
(SolidWorks and Nastran) into a cohesive
standalone product that provides the
mainstream user with a set of tools that are
eminently usable, rich in functionality and
deep in their capability, with a geometry-
handling platform thats second to very
few. The result is a system that gives users
the tools they need, on their terms, in an
easy-to-use environment.
While the basic structural analysis
tools are standard fare, where NEi Fusion
gets interesting is in the deeper levels of
functionality. The tools for optimisation
are easy to use once the intelligent model
required to drive it is complete. The
composites analysis tools make something
that could potentially be incredibly complex,
much more streamlined to the process of
design. A case in point is the impact analysis
tool. From a deceptively simple input set,
under the hood the system is doing some
incredibly complex mathematics, setting
up surface contact between the projectile
and part, determining the contact surfaces,
calculating the contact duration and time
steps needed to capture an accurate non-
linear transient event, and determining the
vibration characteristics of the colliding
bodies - not something for the faint hearted
if done manually.
NEi Fusion is an impressive selection
of simulation tools that are based on a
trusted and mature core technology in
the form of Nastran and its hard to fault
it at all. If youre looking at either moving
your simulation usage up a notch or have
more advanced needs, then the system
starts with the more basic functionality,
but also provides a lot of head room in
terms of scaling up usage to more advance
processes and analysis types.
3

SOFTWARE REVIEW

While NEi Fusion has a
rich set of capabilities,
simply because its
a Nastran-based
technology, there are
some task- or process-
specifc simulation tools
worth discussing. The
frst is the ability to
create a parametrically-
driven model and use
that as the basis for
iterative optimisation.
Users can defne
optimisation objectives
to minimise, maximise
or achieve specifc
targets for weight,
stress, temperature,
natural frequency or any
other measurable factor.
The ability to create
multiple confgurations
of a family of parts,
maybe a set of design
options within a single
part or assembly fle,
then quickly reuse a
single FEA set-up to
evaluate the best of each
holds great promise.
Another is impact
analysis. This is an
incredibly complex
process to simulate
using manual methods
to defne all of the
interactions between
the various inputs,
constituent parts and
physical phenomena.
However, when the core
concepts and principles
are wrapped up into a
bespoke tool for the job,
the process becomes
much easier to adopt.
NEi Fusion has this in
the form of Automated
Impact Analysis (AIA).
The input is simple
once the geometry is
prepared and the user
defnes the projectiles
initial velocity and
acceleration and the
system does the rest.
The fnal thing to
consider is composite
simulation, something
thats growing in a
wide spread of industry
sectors and mainstream
simulation tools are
starting to support it.
NEi Fusion allows the
analysis of composites
and laminated products
and makes the process
straightforward and less
time consuming. These
include easy defnitions
of ply lay-ups, plates
and shell elements
for composites, and
an extensive list of
supported failure
models.
ExTENDINg
SPECIAlIST
CAPABIlITy
Windchill ProductPoint 1.0
By extending the Microsoft SharePoint platform to support complex 3D design data
and using all the experience and knowledge it has gained through Windchill, PTC is
looking to bring data management to the masses. Al Dean reports
Product: Windchill
ProductPoint
Supplier: PTC
Price from 450
www.ptc.com
I
n terms of product development
technologies, research shows
that many organisations consider
the next big challenge to be the
reining in of all the detailed 3D data
that is essential to the process. Due to
the complex interaction between parts,
assemblies, and drawings, a specialised
tool is required and that often means
the adoption of a dedicated data
management product. The simple fact is
that designing in 3D creates dramatically
more data than was the case with 2D
and managing that data intelligently
takes something special - and that often
means long, protracted implementation
cycles and, more commonly than you
might think, only partial adoption.
However, when working without data
management, product information is
dispersed and uncontrolled and considering
that this data represents a manufacturers
lifeblood of knowledge and expertise, then
the reliance on shared drives, local folders
and ad-hoc data management is not going
to cut it. The ideal solution would be to fnd a
balance between the two and achieve a state
of data management nirvana, of centralised
data management and control, without
overburdening your organisation with the
implementation of an overly complex system.
One organisation thats looking to ease
that burden is PTC, the developer of
Pro/Engineer and Windchill. While
Windchill is an incredibly powerful data
management system, for many smaller
to medium sized organisations its simply
too much to swallow. To counter this,
the company has just released a product
that solves many problems for users, but
applies it to a data management platform
thats already in use at, or at least installed
in, the vast majority of companies -
namely, Microsoft SharePoint.
SHAREPOINT FOR DESIGN
As a vanilla install, SharePoint is general
purpose to the extreme and is perfectly
suited to sharing documents from Offce and
other similar tools. While adoption rates are
hard to gain a handle on, Microsoft claims
that the system has more than 100 million
licenses installed globally. If youre using
Microsoft Windows Server 2003 onwards,
the chances are your company already has
SharePoint installed and licensed.
The problem lies in SharePoints generic
nature. It doesnt natively support the
complex structures that are inherent within
3D CAD data, where assemblies link to the
constituent parts and sub-assemblies,
and drawings link to both. To effectively
manage all that data, you need something
more intelligent. And this is what Windchill
ProductPoint offers at its very core. So lets
explore what it does, and then look at the
benefts that can be derived.
Windchill ProductPoint is a role-based
system, which applies the same user access
assignments that are common across all
Windows Server installations. Derived
from user log-ins, a role is created for each
group or class of user, including which
projects they are allowed access to, and how
they interact with data (read/write, read,
comment etc). At this point work carried out
up front means that the roles of members
of specifc organisations can be rationalised
and access rights can be assigned very
quickly using groups and projects.
For this frst release of ProductPoint,
Pro/Engineer will provide the front-end for
most users and data can be added directly
from within the Pro/E interface. SharePoint
already has project and folders technology
built into its core, and PTC uses this as the
basis for ProductPoint. When the user adds
a product model, the system uploads and
stores all of the data thats referenced. This
simple fact is one of the key benefts of the
system and the level of granularity used in
controlling the data is impressive. But what
exactly does this mean?
Rather than just supporting parts,
assemblies and drawings, ProductPoint
also manages the more complex and
seemingly cryptic data interactions, such as
part confgurations and table-driven part
creation where theres no actual fle to be
managed. Table driven parts are typically
used for fasteners and other standard
derivative components and each instance
or entry is separately controlled in terms of
both revision and version.
In order to ensure that meta-data is fully
compliant with company standards, many
users deploy the Pro/Engineer Model
check tool. At this point in the process it
can be used to great effect to ensure that
meta-data is correctly confgured before it
is checked in.
In terms of data format and system
support, ProductPoint will initially support
Pro/Engineer, with Mathcad and AutoCAD
coming in release 1.1 (due late summer).
SolidWorks and Inventor are planned for
release 2.0 in early 2010.
EXTENDING DATA REACH
Once the data is in the system, the next
stage is to start to use that data as part of
the development process. While authoring
and editing of design data is typically
done from within Pro/Engineer, there
are many more stakeholders involved in
the development of a product. Ideally,

SOFTWARE REVIEW

1
1 ProductPoint
brings 2D/3D viewing
tools to the fore.
Initially this sees 3D
thumbnails created
for each item of data
2 ProductPoint uses
ProductView for
lightweight viewing
and data inspection
3 View and markup

data can be created
within ProductView,
allowing authorised
team members to
comment on a design
iteration and provide
critical feedback
p44_45_D3D_APRIL09_ProductPoint.indd 44 14/4/09 15:57:41
ownership is reduced as the system is
usable out of the box and administration is
much less of a burden. But the key winner is
that by using a very widely used platform,
people are not so scared of diving in and
using the system as a part of the product
development process.
The system is currently on the frst major
release, but the roadmap looks intriguing.
ProductPoint 2.0 (scheduled for later this
year) will add the ability to not only strip
information from a full Windchill PLM
system, but also other business systems,
such as SAP. This means that even if
your companys needs extend beyond
data management and into full lifecycle
management, the familiar SharePoint-
based environment can help push that data
out to a much wider range of users, authors
and stakeholders.
While data management and lifecycle
management is an incredibly important
technology, it doesnt lend itself to
particularly enthralling content in a
magazine. However, if ProductPoint proves
anything, it is that, if done correctly and
with the elegance and promise that this
initial release holds, then it can be an
exciting subject for discussion. I cant wait
to see what they come up with next - and
I dont say that very often about data
management.
engineering managers, manufacturing,
purchasing, and marketing all need to
be able to access that data to provide
comment and feedback. This has been the
pitch for PDM/PLM for many years, and the
essence of what ProductPoint offers.
PTC has integrated its ProductView
technology directly into SharePoint, so
rather than having to access heavy, large
footprint CAD data, users have access
to a lightweight, ultra effcient, web-
viewable version of their data. These are
automatically created as each data entity is
uploaded. However, while 3D viewables are
important, they really just supplement the
ability to extract important data such as
Bills of Materials (BOM).
One of the key points of any data
management solution is that it should make
life much easier for users when trying to
locate information. Theres a full text-
based search for the complete data store
and SharePoint also includes the ability to
save searches to a homepage. However, in
addition, there are also where used and
used by searches where users can locate
data which relates to their results.
As a basic install, ProductView provides
a full 2D and 3D browser-based viewing
tool, from quick thumbnail views. When it
comes to providing comment and feedback
(with data interrogation, red-lining and
mark-up tools) this is done using the full
ProductView application. Comments and
mark-ups are captured, linked to the
source data and separately managed as an
Annotation Set, and then made available
to everyone else involved. While it might
sound complex, the main thing to consider
is that anyone can fnd and interact with
critical product data, and also provide
feedback thats centralised and sharable.
MANAGING CHANGE
Alongside data centralisation and control,
one of the most important considerations
about data management is the ability to
ensure that data is controlled during the
inevitable change cycles and that key
participants are kept informed of changes
and actions. ProductPoint includes
version and revision control and data can
be passed for sign-off when change needs
to be authorised. This is done using
basic, but usable, workfows that are very
easily defned.
By default, SharePoint includes a number
of other tools that allow users to add more
ad-hoc notifcations when data, folders
or projects are changed or updated. This
notifcation capability within SharePoint can
be used to ensure that the team is kept up
to date, with everything presented in a very
clear manner. Actions are clearly labelled and
change is fed back to the home-site, instantly.
Users are given a clear understanding of the
state of play at all times.
Alongside the formal aspects of change
control, SharePoint also offers the ability
to use forums to discuss work in progress.
These can be managed (but they dont
have to be) and data can be fed from the
controlled vault and used where needed,
alongside any other type of optional
information. Using a centralised place for
discussions gives greater visibility to all
parties and the process and learning is
stored, available and reusable unlike email
which can become unwieldy and dispersed.
PRICING
ProductPoint is sold on a named user license
model and there are two license types: heavy
and light. Designers and engineers which
typically connect using Pro/E or perform
administration duties are considered heavy
users. The rest are light users. Heavy
licenses cost 1,350 per user (maintenance
270 per year), while light users cost 450
(maintenance at 190). Added to this, is the
cost of Microsofts SharePoint technology,
but as many organizations have already
made their investment here, there are no
additional charges.
CONCLUSION
While other vendors have used SharePoint
as the backbone for their product data
management offerings (most notably
Siemens with Solid Edge Insight), this
is arguably the frst time that the full
complexity of product development
data has been supported. By using its
knowledge gained through development
and implementation of Windchill, PTC has
created something that looks eminently
usable, not only by the main target group
of Pro/Engineer users but this will soon be
for organisations with other tools such as
SolidWorks and AutoCAD.
ProductPoint isnt a competitor to the
full-blown Windchill solution. It offers a
much lower cost alternative to large scale
PLM (Product Lifecycle Management)
while retaining the really powerful parts.
By creating an environment in which users
can not only store, control and manage
data, but proliferate the use of that data
using an industry standard like SharePoint,
there are two key benefts. Firstly, cost
of implementation is lower due to many
organisations already having the key
infrastructure in place (even if they dont
realise it), but also the ongoing cost of
2
4 ProductPoint offers
a full range of search,
retrieval and reporting
tools for anyone
involved in product
development and
manufacturing
5 By building
product data
management onto the
SharePoint platform,
all types of users can
gather information,
without having to
involve the design or
engineering team
3
4 5
p44_45_D3D_APRIL09_ProductPoint.indd 45 14/4/09 15:57:43
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Intel Xeon 5500 processor
While Core i7 brought CAD/CAM/CAE and design visualisation users a rst glimpse
of Intels revolutionary new Nehalem CPU architecture, it is the Xeon 5500 Series that
will re-dene the workstation in 2009, writes Greg Corke
scanline render times around 10% slower,
confrming there are benefts of using
HyperThreading in 3ds Max.
CONCLUSION
Despite being a bit underwhelmed with
the results of the 3ds Max benchmark test,
its clear that Intels new Xeon 5500 Series
is a huge step forward for users of highly
parallel applications, and those performing
so-called mega-tasking. And by giving
designers and engineers access to this
amount of power on the desktop it has the
potential to redefne traditional design,
analyse, iterate workfows.
However, Intels Xeon 5500 Series is not
for everyone. Having eight physical cores is
overkill for most mainstream CAD users, and
single socket Xeon 3500 Series workstations
or specialist Core i7-based machines are
more than capable for most tasks.
In the future though, as design software
evolves and makes more intelligent use of
CPU cores, this is likely to change. Autodesk,
for one, is already talking about using spare
CPU cores to give engineers performance-
related feedback on design decisions they
havent yet made. The intention is that
the engineer can increase the number of
iterations, but doesnt have to go through
traditional workfow himself, where he
designs, analyses and then iterates. He
is presented with a number of variations
on a theme, each with different geometry
confgurations which have already been
analysed and assessed for purpose, and
picks the most appropriate.
While this highly intelligent design
technology may still be years off reaching
maturity, the foundations have certainly
been laid and Intels Xeon 5500 and future
incarnations of this multi-core technology
will be at the heart of making this happen.
I
ntels Core i7 CPU came to market
at the tail end of last year, but
its not until now that the chip
giant has launched its offcial
workstation platform. The Xeon 5500
series (codenamed Nehalem) forms
the backbone to all of the major
vendors workstations and you wont
see the mainstream Core i7 chip in
workstations from the likes of Dell, HP,
Fujitsu-Siemens and Lenovo.
On paper, there appears to be little
difference between Core i7 and Xeon 5500
Series. They both feature Intels Quick Path
Interconnection (QPI) (which connects
the CPU directly to the memory for faster
access), TurboBoost (which enables CPU
cores to run at a higher frequency when
there is thermal/power headroom) and
HyperThreading (which creates a virtual
core on top of every physical core). However,
Xeon 5500 shows its workstation-class
credentials by its availability in dual socket
workstations for access to a total of 16 cores
and support for ECC (Error Correcting Code)
memory for better accuracy.
The most obvious benefciaries of new dual
socket Xeon 5500 series workstations will be
users of multi-threaded design visualisation
applications like Autodesks 3ds Max and
Bunkspeeds HyperShot, which not only
make use of all eight physical cores to drive
down rendering times, but also get a little
boost from the eight virtual cores delivered
through HyperThreading.
For high-end CAM (Computer Aided
Manufacturing) and CAE (Computer Aided
Engineering) users, having access to eight
physical cores is also likely to be a major
attraction. While many toolpath calculations
and simulations can only be accelerated
by two or four cores, its the Xeon 5500
Series ability to multi-task, (or mega-task,
as Intel calls it), that is likely to bring the
most interest. For CAM, users will be able to
generate multiple NC toolpaths concurrently,
while CAE users can mesh and simulate
multiple design variants at the same time.
For pure CAD, dual socket Xeon 5500
Series workstations are likely to be overkill,
primarily because most CAD software is
single threaded. However, with most CAD
applications offering in-built rendering
and simulation tools, they shouldnt
be discounted altogether. For users
with occasional requirements of such
technologies, then four cores in a single
socket machine is still plenty. A single socket
variant of the new Xeon chip, the Xeon 3500
Series is also available, and there is also the
option of a dual socket machine with a single
CPU with a view to upgrading in the future.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
To put the new Xeon 5500 Series through
its paces, Workstation Specialists
(www.workstationspecialists.com)
sent us a prototype of its new high-end
workstation, which features two Xeon
X5560 (2.80GHz) processors, 12GB DDR3
1333MHz, an Nvidia Quadro FX4800
professional graphics card, and Windows
XP x64. (N.B. Workstation Specialists is the
new name for CAD2)
We tested with 3ds Max Design 2009, an
application that makes full use of multiple CPU
cores, and performed our standard scanline
rendering benchmark. While standing head
and shoulders above single processor Core
i7 workstations we have tested, the render
time of 490 secs was a little slower than
what we expected, around 10-15% slower.
We initially wondered if 3ds Max was actually
able to support sixteen CPU cores on a single
machine, but Windows Task Manager showed
them all working away happily, as seen in
Figure 1. From our limited frst round tests it
was hard to form any defnitive conclusions,
particularly as we were testing with beta
hardware, but will certainly look at this more
closely in the coming months, along with
some multi-tasking scenarios.
For interest, we also dived into the BIOS,
turned off HyperThreading and repeated
the test. Only eight cores were shown in
Windows Task Manager and we recorded
Product:
Xeon 5500 Series
Supplier: Intel
Prices TBC
www.intel.co.uk
1 Figure 1: Count
them. One, two,
three.... sixteen CPU
cores working fat out
rendering in 3ds Max
Design 2009
1
2

HARDWARE REVIEW

By giving
designers
such power
on the
desktop,
Xeon 5500
has the
potential
to redene
traditional
design,
analyse,
iterate
workows
p47_D3D_APRIL09_Workstations.indd 47 16/4/09 17:17:31

p48.indd 1 16/04/2009 16:04:51
In the future, all design software might be
run in a web browser, and workstations
may never need RAM, graphics or hard
drive upgrades. However, as Martyn
Day found out while researching this
article, the future is already here

THE LAST WORD

W
e all know that
everything is
going online.
From ordering
groceries, to
fnding a life-
partner it now
seems more
possible than ever to stay indoors and
never leave the house. We have quickly
adopted digital lifestyles and have
pretty much taken for granted what the
Internet has done for us. However, some
new technology revealed this month got
me thinking about how the Internet could
fundamentally change the way we use,
access and pay for our design tools in the
not too distant future.
While browsing the BBC news site I came
across a story about a new company called
Onlive (www.onlive.com), which later this
year, will offer an almost unbelievable online
service to computer game fans. Onlive will
host the games on its top-of-the-range servers
and workstations and blast the graphics to a
web browser running on any operating system
or TV. As you are not actually running the
program, this means that you dont have to
have a high-specifcation computer to get the
best experience and never have to download
the games, which these days are huge. This
got me thinking, if they can do that for a 60
frames per second game, they can surely do
that for a CAD application?
I did some further reading on other
newswires and it seems that even the stock
market took notice (for once) and there
were analysts claiming that if Onlive worked
it could even be the death of the Sony
PlayStation or Microsoft Xbox. You would
never need to have a specifc games console,
or ensure you have the latest graphics card,
oodles of RAM or an expensive processor
in your PC.... in fact you could downgrade!
You would get the same performance on an
ATOM-based ultra portable, as you would
on a Intel quad core Xeon. Performance
would depend solely on the breadth of your
Internet bandwidth.
ONLIVE TECHNOLOGY
For those of you not into games, bear with
me, its the underlying technology principle
thats up for discussion. In the last seven
years, Onlive claims to have perfected an
interactive video compression technique,
with ultra low latency (lag) - it literally
encodes video into data in one millisecond.
This has been incorporated into a custom
processor, which comes in a box you acquire
as part of your subscription, with a software
plug-in for browsers.
If you have a 1.5 Mbit connection speed you
would see real-time Wii resolution but with a
4.5 Mbit Internet speed, Onlive is promising to
deliver 1,280 x 720 at 60 frames per second.
Onlive has already signed up the major
software vendors: EA, Ubisoft, Eidos, Atari,
Codemasters and THQ to name but a few, and
is due to go live in September 2009 in the US.
If it works, this really could be an industry-
changing technology. There are many
different attempts to try and incorporate
3D libraries in the browser to enhance 3D
web content but this would still rely on the
graphics card in the machine you have and
the grunt of your workstations processor.
Onlive would remove this hardware
overhead for the user by just streaming the
applications video output.
We have seen similar technology delivered
by HP with its Blade workstations, which
operate as a thin-client. The workstations can
be kept at a remote location but accessed
via a simple terminal over a TCP/IP network.
Onlive expands this concept by doing it
over the public network (the Internet). The
modern term for this is Cloud Computing.
CAD ONLINE
This Onlive technology surely must be
interesting to CAD developers who all have
some experimental web-based solutions at
various stages of development? Indeed, Ive
just returned from Autodesks offces in San
Francisco where I raised Onlive as a talking
point, to which I was told that Autodesk was
1
1 Onlives web-based
technology, which
uses a custom on-
the-fy decoder and
controller to interact
with remotely hosted
games, could also be
adapted to deliver
CAD over the web
p49_50_D3D_MARCH09_Martyn.indd 49 14/4/09 15:31:14

THE LAST WORD

one of the less visible but strategic investors
in the company! Knowing what web tools
Autodesk has been experimenting with on its
labs website (labs.autodesk.com), Onlive is
a perfect ft.
Standard Web browsers are really very
poorly 3D endowed; they dont make a great
place for 3D graphics applications unless
you add a plug-in or two, of which there are
now many. Its perhaps not surprising that
our industry couldnt agree on a standard
but there are fve open(ish) popular
development tools:
VRML now reworked as a new standard,
called X3D.
3DMLW - 3D Markup Language for Web.
COLLADA - COLLAborative Design Activity.
Open GL ES 2 - a variant of Open GL.
U3D - Universal 3D, originated by Intel.
Having given you two milliseconds to digest
those industry 3D standards, Im going
to add in some more jargon and mention
RIA - Rich Internet Applications. This is an
industry buzzword for providing enhanced
development tools for browser or web-driven
applications. Microsoft is pushing a .NET
technology called Silverlight, while Adobe
has AIR. These frameworks expand what it
is possible to develop within browsers and
provide web-tools with most of the benefts
of desktop development tools, such as data
persistence, access to locally stored data and
application integration capabilities.
All these 3D standards and additional
programming layers provide hooks for the CAD
developers to produce web-based applications
which access the 3D graphics and other
hardware in your machine. So, even before
becoming a reality, Web applications are
moving beyond the browser and now appear
to be hybrid applications. A little known fact
is that a lot of this is being driven by modern
phone operating systems, as developers
need tools which will deliver applications for
multiple target platforms, from low-power and
thin-client to heavy workstation and servers
the focus is moving away from desktop
applications to Internet-enabled tools.
On the CAD tool side of the tracks,
everything at this stage seems quite
experimental at the moment but eventually
the right combinations will create frm
standards and open up rich web-based
applications. That is, of course, unless cloud
computing and video compression systems
such as Onlive dont bypass these current
software development limitations.
While Onlive isnt even running (outside of
beta), there are some impressive web-enabled
CAD tools which already show whats capable
with todays cutting edge add-on 3D web
technology. Autodesks Project Dragonfy
(dragonfy.autodesk.com) appears to be
one of the more advanced web-based Labs
applications that I have seen so far, where
users can design interior layouts and spaces
using drag and drop and axonometric views.
While its architectural, its well worth trying
out to see how fast it works as a browser-only
based application. There are a number of
other tools in development: Project Showroom
- a cloud-based rendering tool for visualising
interior fttings and colours, as well as Project
Freewheel for DWG viewing in a web browser.
SolidWorks also has a web-based DWG
viewer, editor and creation tool called
SolidWorks Blueprintnow (labs.solidworks.
com). Its fun to try out and use as a DWG
viewer but not particularly usable as an
accurate drafting tool yet. SolidWorks
also offers a number of web-based fle
distribution and collaboration technologies
on its labs website.
At the moment we dont really have any
serious commercial attempts at providing
even a 2D drafting tool, let alone a proper 3D
solution. It would be interesting to see the
capabilities of SolidWorks, Inventor, Pro/E
or Catia in a browser but that is probably
still some years off. In fact Dassault has told
me that it is working
on delivering Catia
online in the future but
estimated 3-5 years.
CONCLUSION
With Onlive, the whole
browser vs desktop,
cloud vs client-based
computing has
suddenly hit home
to me, with the
fundamental changes
that may be in store
for us in the coming
years. We may not
need to have workstations but share part
of a remote super computer. The hassle of
upgrading workstation components may
totally go away. We could all have ultra-
lightweight, low power laptops that had
battery lives of days. Fan noise would be a
thing of the past!
However this is all based on one thing - the
reliability of fast, cheap, Internet bandwidth
and countries that dont have the technology
infrastructure are going to suffer. Even if
each session took 1.5 Mbit of bandwidth, in
a room of 20 engineers you would need at
least a 30 Mbit pipe and while our Internet
providers promise us much, they rarely, if
ever deliver the bandwidth they advertise, In
fact you are lucky to get 50%.
As with most technologies, the games
industry will lead the charge and we, via
the design tool developers, will follow. The
concept that everyone gets the hottest
hardware running their games irrespective
of what they have at home seems incredibly
liberating. The technology certainly has its
doubters in the industry - however, some
have a vested interest in it not succeeding.
While developing with all the 3D web tools,
Autodesk appears to be ahead of the curve
with its investment in Onlive. Of course,
should Autodesks applications become
hosted Cloud applications, there would be
far reaching implications for dealer and
distribution networks but thats probably a
different article.
Martyn Day is Consulting Editor of DEVELOP3D. He has been keeping
vampire hours since his return to the UK, and is wondering if theres a cure
for jetlag, other than sleeping at the right times.
martyn@x3dmedia.com
JObS AnD
TRAInInG
DEVELOPMEnTS
Its been a good month
for getting the CAD
vendors to support
engineers that have
lost their jobs due to
thieving bankers and
short-termist, stupid
politicians.
SolidWorks launched its
SolidWorks Engineering
Stimulus Package
program, announced
at SolidWorks World
in February. The
package includes a
free downloadable
90-day version of the
SolidWorks Student
Design Kit including
eDrawings, access to
the customer portal and
Solid Professor training
materials with a free
attempt at achieving
the Certifed SolidWorks
Associate certifcation.
tinyurl.com/cqhn5m
Autodesk has launched
its Assistance Program
whereby engineers
can get free access to
existing Student Edition
software of AutoCAD and
Inventor Professional for
13 months. The software
comes with 24/7 access
to online training and a
path to certifcation.
tinyurl.com/dbhm7v
Unfortunately both
companies are only
doing this currently in
North America but it
will be rolled out across
all geographies in the
coming weeks and
months. Getting certifed
would be a great goal and
a recognised qualifcation
for potential employers.
With Onlive you would get the same

performance on an ATOM netbook, as
you would on a quad core Xeon
2 Project Dragonfy
is one of the slickest
web-based design
applications we have
seen. Currently on
Autodesks Labs it can
be used to space-plan
offces or homes
3 SolidWorks
blueprintnow
technology enables
users to upload,
display and edit DWG
fles with a browser
2
3
p49_50_D3D_MARCH09_Martyn.indd 50 14/4/09 15:31:16
p51.indd 1 16/04/2009 18:28:50

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